Building Better Lives Getting the best from strategic housing Janet Williams – Senior Research Manager

Audit Commission Building Better Lives2 Why the research? Inspection reports Excellent Good Fair Poor Excellent Promising Uncertain Poor Performance ratings Prospects for Improvement Source: 112 Strategic Housing inspections to May 2008

Audit Commission Building Better Lives3 Good housing strategy delivers more than just houses Sustainable communities Good housing Delivery of housing of right type, in right place & right standard enables sustainability Reduced incidence of hypothermia, asthma & respiratory illnesses Reduction in homelessness leads to greater stability for children & higher educational attainment Sufficient supply of housing, particularly private rented sector, helps support labour market mobility Better public health Better educational outcomes Economic development

Audit Commission Building Better Lives4 Research methodology analysis of existing datasets outcome delivery chain workshops telephone survey of 100 local authority chief executives survey of Local Strategic Partnerships analysis of Sustainable Community Strategies for reference to housing interviews with strategic housing managers, local strategic partnership leads, registered social landlords, developers, planners in 12 fieldwork sites interviews with other stakeholders

Audit Commission Building Better Lives5 Many councils struggle to grasp the opportunity strategic housing presents Visions for housing in an area are not always consistent with broader ambitions Councils are data-rich but information-poor Housing partnerships/relationships are seldom well developed Regulatory powers are not used sufficiently Skilled and competent staff are still in short supply

Audit Commission Building Better Lives6 Even well-regarded councils assessed their own performance as mixed

Audit Commission Building Better Lives7 Objectives of the strategic housing function Affordable housing is the objective overwhelmingly cited by chief executives, with little mention of housing’s wider contribution.

Audit Commission Building Better Lives8 94% local area agreements prioritised new and/or affordable housing targets, fewer than a third prioritised existing stock

Audit Commission Building Better Lives9 Strategic housing function is not just about new housing

Audit Commission Building Better Lives10 There are more empty homes than people accepted as homeless and in priority need in every region of England

Audit Commission Building Better Lives11 Over half a million households in England are overcrowded There is potential to have a great impact in other areas, councils have statutory responsibilities There are 4.8 million non decent homes in the private sector, 1 million of these are in the private rented sector

Audit Commission Building Better Lives12 Funding and regulatory changes reinforce need for good strategic housing function Councils without local investment strategy agreed with partners will not secure funding and support from Homes and Communities Agency Comprehensive Area Assessment will assess how well housing is contributing to councils’ and their partners’ ambitions for their area.

Audit Commission Building Better Lives13 Funding, regulatory changes and the recession reinforce need for good strategic housing function Although councils directly commit only small proportion of the money spent on housing in their area, need to influence markets and funding flows as well as deliver services. Those with the best established housing strategies will be best placed to weather the recession; those without, risk being left further behind.

Audit Commission Building Better Lives14 Model of good delivery A good strategic housing function: is based on a vision for housing in the area that is consistent with broader place-shaping ambitions; is well informed and understands local housing needs and markets; has effective housing partnerships/relationships; uses regulatory powers as well as influence; and has skilled and competent staff.

Audit Commission Building Better Lives15 Model of good delivery

Audit Commission Building Better Lives16 Good practice examples Salford City Council made use strategically of powers to regulate the private rented sector –Selective licensing –Resulted in better quality and better managed accommodation London Borough of Southwark – worked with National Fraud Initiative –Identified illegal tenancies releasing social housing units back into renting pool

Audit Commission Building Better Lives17 Good practice examples Thanet district council used supplementary planning policy –restricted development of 1-bed flats to reduce density worked with Kent County Council & neighbouring authorities –campaign to bring back empty homes back into use, 530 to date

Audit Commission Building Better Lives18 Good practice examples North Somerset Council –partnership working with different council departments, external partners including private landlords to improve housing for vulnerable young people, especially care leavers –alignment of resources to achieve objective –number of young homeless halved in first year –sustained housing pathways for 90% of care leavers

Audit Commission Building Better Lives19 Recommendations for councils Articulate publicly a clear vision for the role housing can play in your area: –Based on good evidence –Consistent with other local strategies, e.g. SCS, LDFs –Agreed with a wide range of partners –Underpinned by implementation plans –Regularly reviewed in light of economic, environmental and social change

Audit Commission Building Better Lives20 Recommendations to councils (2) Work with their partners to: –Gather information about housing needs and housing markets which is relevant to, and of adequate quality for, the decisions they need to make, and presented in a way that decision makers can understand; –Use this information to look at trends in supply and demand for market areas beyond the local authority administrative boundary Continuously review their own land and property holdings, and those of other in the area Review use of regulatory powers Review and develop joint working to enhance capacity

Products from the study Briefings Decision making guide Delivery chain guidance Partnerships questions Presentation Case studies CD-rom

Audit Commission Building Better Lives22 It’s not just about houses it’s about building better lives

Audit Commission Building Better Lives23 Thank you for listening ANY QUESTIONS?