Home Choice Plus The Council’s housing waiting list & allocating “Local Choice” homes Renata Mosz

Who is on Home Choice Plus?

Who is on Home Choice Plus?

Who can go on Home Choice Plus? Households seeking housing association homes in the District must join Home Choice Plus - also known as the Housing Waiting List or Register Different for rent and shared ownership homes Applicants need a local connection to the Home Choice Plus partnership area and a housing need (unless exemptions apply) Eligibility for Home Choice Plus is assessed on application and when properties are allocated

What is the partnership area? Stratford-on-Avon District and most of Worcestershire Bromsgrove District Council Malvern Hills District Council Worcester City Council Wychavon District Council Wyre Forest District Council Redditch Borough Council is not in the partnership area

How is local connection defined in the Home Choice Plus partnership area? Current residence in the Home Choice Plus area for at least two years Current employment in the Home Choice Plus area for at least 6 months Current residence of a close family member for at least 5 years Previous residence for three out of the last five years at the point of application

Home Choice Plus local connection exemptions Very few households i.e. People who are statutory homeless Some carers Armed forces applicants People moving for work Other special reasons

How are applications assessed? In line with the Home Choice Plus Allocations Policy which prioritises the housing needs of applicants Current Allocations Policy (June 2015) is more restrictive than previous policies Financial hardship; make the case if renting privately Households local to this District are a higher priority than other households in the partnership area

Home Choice Plus – the allocation process (1) Housing association notifies Council of vacancy/vacancies Properties advertised via Home Choice Plus Applicants place bids System generates shortlist Housing Advice Team manually check shortlist to confirm parish local connection

Home Choice Plus – the allocation process (2) 6. Bidders with a confirmed local parish connection ranked in housing need order 7. Households with the greatest need will be nominated by the Council to the housing association 8. Properties will be allocated by the housing association

Home Choice Plus & Local Choice (1) Local connections are given equal weighting Local connections are not cumulative Households with a local connection are considered in the order of their housing need

Home Choice Plus & Local Choice (2) All new housing association properties are advertised via Home Choice Plus Applicants have to register an interest in these properties by bidding New housing association homes can only be allocated to “qualifying households” These households must have a qualifying local connection to the parish in which the properties are built

Home Choice Plus & Local Choice (3) Independent evidence is collated by the District Council to confirm parish local residence e.g. Copies of full birth certificates Access to Council Tax records for current residence of applicant households or their immediate family Confirmation from employers of time employed, place of work etc. Any other evidence as appropriate that could prove residence for the required period

How is local connection defined in s106 legal agreements? Agreed following parish council consultation 2013: Born in the parish or Currently lives in the parish and has done so for at least 12 months or Currently works in the parish and has done so for at least 12 months or Previously lived in the parish for at least 3 years or Has immediate family resident in the parish for at least 3 years.

S106 versus Home Choice Plus local connection criteria Assuming a household is on Home Choice Plus, a S106 for a “Local Choice” scheme overrides Home Choice Plus policy S106 in perpetuity – unless all parties agree a variation which is a costly and lengthy process Home Choice Plus policy does change – rent and shared ownership Majority of people on Home Choice Plus live in the District and have done so for a long time

Summary of Home Choice Plus Households need to be registered with Home Choice Plus to be considered for housing Households must place “bids” All new properties are advertised via Home Choice Plus Allocations will only be made to households who can demonstrate the relevant local parish connection and have the greatest housing need Local connection categories have equal weighting

Where can I find out more about Home Choice Plus? Website https://www.stratford.gov.uk/homes-properties/home-choice-plus.cfm Contact the Housing Advice Team on 01789 260861 or housingadviceteam@stratford-dc.gov.uk Martin Cowan, Housing Advice Manager, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6HX Telephone: 01789 260 849 Email: martin.cowan@stratford-dc.gov.uk