The Housing Advisers Programme is designed to support councils seeking to innovate in meeting the housing needs of their communities.
Participating local authorities have put together case studies on their experiences in undertaking the project and its impact for the benefit of sharing the learning across the sector.
In this section:
Affordable home ownership in Suffolk Coastal
A strategic approach to dealing with the issues and opportunities presented by an increase in numbers (allocation) of affordable home ownership prosperities in Suffolk Coastal.
Alternative approaches to affordable housing calculation - Teignbridge District Council
This project was undertaken on behalf of a partnership of local authorities led by Teignbridge District Council and including the other Greater Exeter Strategic Partnership authorities.
Calderdale Borough Council - Prevention strategy for 16/17 year old homeless presentations
The numbers of 16/17 yr. olds requiring emergency homeless accommodation has increased over a number of years. Despite having developed planned supported accommodation pathways for young people in Calderdale, the need for emergency accommodation is still high. In line with HRA and the need to reduce this number we need to consider how we are able to prevent young people, families other agencies in looking towards homeless accommodation as the remedy for a myriad of other related issues.
Commissioning housing support for people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness - Warrington Borough Council
Warrington Borough Council commissioned several organisations to provide accommodation-based and floating support to people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
Council Housing Development Programme - Derbyshire Dales District Council
Altair provided strategic support to the council through the development of a business case for the council to help meet one of its key corporate objectives – to identify and deliver new affordable housing sites and improve housing for vulnerable people – through the direct delivery of new council homes on available council land and through pursuing section 106 opportunities.
Doncaster Council's innovative equity release-based funding scheme for housing
Doncaster participated in the Housing Adviser’s Programme (HAP) in order to seek advice and obtain support for financial innovation in relation to the production of an equity-based product(s).
Essex County Council preventing and tackling homelessness across the county
The LGA supported project was aimed at supporting the implementation of the Future of Essex Vision priority to prevent and tackle homelessness across the county.
Future accommodation needs in Havering
A report was commissioned by Havering’s Joint Commissioning Unit to understand the current needs and pressures across children and adults social care services and estimate the future accommodation needs for looked after children, care leavers, and children and adults with disabilities.
Gloucester City Council - options to acquire and develop properties
Working collaboratively with the council, we designed and executed an options appraisal to support Gloucester City Council to identify and evaluate the optimum delivery strategy.
Gloucester City Council are now pursuing a strategy to identify potential joint venture partners with whom they will seek to acquire a range of properties meeting differing needs, including temporary accommodation.
Greater Lincolnshire - Planning for and delivering to meet the housing needs of an ageing population
The Housing LIN worked with the ten local authorities in the Greater Lincolnshire partnership to develop an extensive evidence base in relation to the future housing needs and aspirations of older people and a delivery programme was created in response to this evidence.
Greater Manchester Co-operative & Community Led Housing Initiatives Project
Co-operative and community-led housing is a way for local people to play a leading and lasting role in solving housing problems, creating genuinely affordable homes and strong communities in ways that are difficult to achieve through the mainstream housing market.
Haringey improving access to PRS accomodation for young adults
Haringey London Borough Council and Homes for Haringey, commissioned Neil Morland & Co to complete an options appraisal on accommodation options for under 35-year olds with no dependents residing with them. The project was completed during January – March 2018.
Housing support services for the elderly - Newcastle City Council
The Housing LIN worked with Your Homes Newcastle to develop an evidence base in relation to the future requirements and expectations of older people for housing and support services.
Improving Access to the Private Rented Sector - Purbeck District Council
Purbeck participated in the Housing Adviser’s Programme (HAP) in order to source additional private rented accommodation to prevent households becoming homelessness.
Leicester City Council - Accommodation options for entrenched rough sleepers
The Local Government Association, on behalf of Leicester City Council commissioned Neil Morland & Co to carry out a review of direct access and housing models for people experiencing street homelessness who decline to engage with support or take-up offers of accommodation. The project was carried out from December 2018 –March 2019.
London Borough of Bexley Council - Opening doors
This case study details the journey that London Borough of Bexley Council has been on in the design and tender launch of a new homelessness social impact bond (SIB) service. The technical support that we commissioned using the Housing Adviser Programme grant funding has been integral to this journey and offered the SIB expertise for devising the service outcomes, developing the operational model and advising on procurement. The £1.6 million SIB contract was awarded in September.
Masterplanning New Communities to Meet Housing Need - Eastleigh Borough Council
Eastleigh Borough Council sought research to help shape the approach and devise policy that will create mixed and balanced communities and ensure that different housing needs in the borough are addressed.
Newark and Sherwood District Council - Appraisal for development of temporary accommodation
In early 2019, the Local Government Association commissioned Neil Morland & Co Housing Consultants to work with Newark and Sherwood District Council to complete an appraisal for the development of temporary accommodation on an existing site, Seven Hills in Newark.
Nottingham City Council - Listening to and engaging with private landlords
During consultation as part of the review for the revised Homelessness Strategy, the council were advised that private landlords did not feel that they were listened to and as loss of Assured Shorthold Tenancy (ASTs) was the second highest reason for homelessness, the council asked the LGA to engage with private landlords to identify what could be done to try and prevent/relieve homelessness in the future.
Solihull Council - Housing delivery through joint ventures and partnerships
The outcomes from the Housing Advisors Programme will help the council to finalise its approach to housing delivery across a broad range of housing development sites to deliver the range of housing that can help support inclusive economic growth.
South Tyneside Council - The right place at the right time
South Tyneside remains committed to supporting our residents with the right support when they need it and to make the best use of resources to keep as many of their residents independent for as long as possible. Understanding the demands and pressures, the challenge the council faced was to translate this understanding into developing our Adult Social Care (ASC) Accommodation Strategy to meet housing and ASC needs over the next five years, designing new accommodation to meet those needs and developing new models of care.
Student Housing Strategy - Warwick District Council
The council welcomes and supports a vibrant student community within the district, but is also keen to see adequate housing provision for younger single people and couples who may not be students but still need housing.
Succeeding in viability negotiations - Harborough District Council
Harborough is the quintessential rural district often ranked as one of the best places to live in England. It is a great place to live and work with most people enjoying a high quality of life. However, house and land prices are the highest in Leicestershire and many residents struggle to get on the housing ladder or even access a suitable and affordable rented property.
The North London Housing Partnership
The councils comprising the North London Housing Partnership wished to understand each other’s approaches to local housing company structures specifically, and new housing delivery generally.
Torbay Council supporting the elderly through housing
LGA housing adviser funding secured Housing LIN consultants to carry out qualitative research on the housing aspirations of older people in Torbay.
Watford Borough Council - Altering and adopting a housing allocation scheme
The Local Government Association commissioned Neil Morland & Co to work with Watford Borough Council, to alter their housing allocation scheme, known in Watford as the Housing Nominations Policy. This project took place from March – June 2019.