Housing the “Big Society” Phillip Blond Director, ResPublica 1

The Core Problems The ECONOMIC problem The SOCIAL problem The CIVIC problem The POWER problem 2

The Economic Problem Assets have become concentrated The wealthiest half of households hold 91% of the UK’s total wealth Source: ONS, Wealth in Great Britain – Main Results from the Wealth and Assets Survey 2006/08 (2009) 3

The Economic Problem Growing income inequality (UK) Index of rise in gross weekly earnings, full time males ( ) Source: Stewart Lansley, “How Rising Inequality contributed to the crash”, Soundings, Spring

The Economic Problem Wages won’t deliver (US) Over the long-term, US wages have stagnated in a time of growth 5

The Economic Problem Warning signs of a UK decoupling? Male median wages have fallen behind GDP growth since the early 1970s 6

The Economic Problem Low-earners have seen less growth, and even decline, in wages (UK) 7

The Social Problem Social capital is declining 97% of communities have become more socially fragmented over the past 30 years Source: Changing UK (Dec 2008), BBC Report 8

The Social Problem Fear of crime (UK) Fear has a strong relationship with social trust 9

The Civic Problem Civic engagement has decreased Only 31% of Britons now provide nearly 90% of all volunteer hours Source: Third Sector Research Centre (2010) 10

The Civic Problem Decrease in civic participation (UK) 11

The Power Problem Power has pooled in the state Nearly three out of four Britons agree that “the state intervenes too much” Source, David Halpern, “The Wealth of Nations” (2007) 12

The Power Problem 13

The Diagnosis Problems with the ‘left’ and ‘right’ Both welfarism and the ‘monopolised market’ have encouraged bureaucracy and asset concentration The state and the market have squeezed out the ‘civic middle’, stripping it of capital and capacity 14

Housing: Potential Issues Retreat of the state from funding and regulation. The need for new solutions Meeting government policies and reflecting local communities 15

Housing: Opportunities In delivering the localism agenda: enablers and investors As platforms for opening, extending and devolving public services As mutual models 16

Localism Local connection is essential Housing associations can work on behalf of communities: e.g. neighbourhood planning, economic development – Green Deal Support those with limited capacity and capital 17

Localism Tübingen User-Led Housing: a self-commissioned neighbourhood 18

Localism 19 Tübingen User-Led Housing Self-commissioned, self-designed plot by plot neighbourhood development Working in labour and design partnership Active participation in delivering solutions rather than ‘top-down’ standardised delivery

Housing providers are well placed for broader public service delivery Platform the ‘right to challenge’: ‘right to buy’ Offer platform for community-based enterprise and investment: Skill Generating :-Work Programme 20 Association led Investment

Active Citizen Developers Hørsholm Waste- to-Energy: a neighbourhood clean-tech incinerator 21

Hørsholm Waste-to-Energy Community not-for-profit asset – shared wins Incinerator waste-to-energy plant heats 10,000 homes: cuts heating bills by 30% Energy cost savings raise house valuations 22 Bottom up Procurement

Opening Public Services 23

Opening Public Services Poplar HARCA Big business, but relevance through local governance Asset transfer of underused facilities: community centres now used for youth groups, health clinics, etc Managed by HA but input by and for locals 24

Mutual Models Does community-ownership and mutualism have a role to play in housing? Increase accountability and transparency – and safeguard social mission through a “social dividend” Community empowerment 25

Mutual Models 26

Mutual Models Anticipated ownership model: membership drawn from tenants and staff – Rochdale Borough Wide Housing Developing new accountability membership framework Working together to reduce costs 27

Housing the Big Society Appeal to the local: be a platform for the Localism Bill and encourage investment Platform provision: open public services and offer alternatives for delivery local platform for statutory services – Hubs : -St Georges - Birmingham Ground in the social: devolution of governance and assets 28

The Future Social housing as Social Enterprise If its Public money has to be for the Public Good Housing no longer enough – that’s the base not the high bar 29

The New Standard Economic – self and community build – plaform for mass bottom up enterprise Social – associate to create capital and skills Civic – begin where people are - foster relationships and fraternity Power – change governance – go bottom up 30