29 April 2015

Dave Palmer

Co-operative Housing Project Manager

029 2080 7132

Twitter @DaveCoHoP

david.palmer@walescooperative.org

‘Co-operative Housing ’

‘Can-Do-Corner’ @TAI 15

Agenda

Welcome………

• Co-op Housing Project update

• Housing (Wales) Act 2014 – Part Six

• Co-operative Principles - 6

Any Questions/ Closing remarks

WG & Housing Project

Welsh Government Housing White Paper – gave a

commitment to :

Deliver 500 new homes through co-operative housing

as part of action to achieve their affordable housing

target – June 2016 (10% increase on existing number)

Increased choice for Wales – ‘System Stewardship’

Co-operative Housing Project – 18 months/2 years +2! >

10 projects per Annum

50 Beneficiaries per Annum

2 ‘Shovel Ready’ projects – March 2014

Housing Project continues

• Housing (Wales) Bill – Autumn 2014

Assured Tenancies & Grounds for possession

• 3 pilot schemes – 89 homes occupied

• 4 ‘Shovel Ready’ projects by March 2016

(various funding streams to be agreed)

• 355 Pipeline homes/beneficiaries

• £40,000 funding from Nationwide Foundation for ‘scaling up’ project

Housing Project cont

5 Advanced Pioneer schemes – March 2015/6

a clearly identifiable group is constituted

the group has a clear purpose and is engaged with the Wales Co-operative Centre and is receiving support from the ‘call off’ contract

the group is engaged with the relevant authorities

ie local authorities and housing associations

particular sites or housing developments have been identified

Pioneer Projects

• Loftus Village

19 homes - 80 people

• Home Farm Village

41 homes -141 people

• Carmarthen Co-op

27 homes–122 people

Total - 340 people

800 Beneficiaries

134,000 Hours

Housing (Wales) Act - 2014

Part 6

Amends Schedule 1 of the Housing Act 1988

• Allows fully mutual housing co-operatives to grant assured tenancies - use standard and well-understood tenancy agreements

• Allows grounds for mortgagee in possession clauses to be used - giving surety of finance

7 Co-operative Principles

1. Voluntary and Open Membership

2. Democratic Member Control

3. Members' Economic Participation

4. Autonomy and Independence

5. Education, Training and Information

6. Co-operation among Co-operatives

7. Concern for Community

Co-operation among Co-ops

Co-operatives serve their members most

effectively and strengthen the co-operative

movement by working together through local,

national, regional and international structures

Housing Co-ops - comparative statistics:

• In Turkey: 25% of the total housing stock with 1,408,603 units

• In Sweden: 18% of the total housing stock with 750,000 units

• In Norway: 15% of the total housing stock with 320,000 units

• In Germany: 10% of the total rental housing stock with 2,200,000 units

• In Austria: 8% of the total housing stock with 334,000 units

• In Portugal: 1/3 of the social housing portfolio with 180,000 units

• On average 10% of Europeans - 27 million people - live in housing

co-operatives

• In UK: less than 1% (0.6%) live in co-operatives

(3% of this 0.6% is in Wales which equates to 5 or 6,000 homes)

• In the USA: housing co-operatives provide homes for approximately1.5

million American families (1% - 1.2m homes)

Co-operative Background • History of co-operation in Wales – Chartists

• Much housing in the Rhondda Valley was built by terminating co-operative building societies

• Around the first world war several Garden City projects in Wales. Built on co-operative principles, eg Rhiwbina Garden Village

• A small number of other housing co-operatives still exist but limited and small scale (5 or 6 thousand homes only)

Co-operative Background cont

• LSVTs - Community Housing Mutuals – 4 in Wales

• Labour Manifesto commitment

Part of Programme for Government

• Minister Hugh Lewis, is member of co-operative party and was only co-op Housing Minister in Europe, when project started

• Cross-cabinet commitment to co-operative approaches

Factor - Strong Partnerships

• All of the co-operative housing schemes under development in Wales have come about as a result of partnerships – between communities, local authorities and housing associations

• Housing staff involved have learnt new skills in working with communities and are as enthusiastic as the communities to enable them to make decisions

Factor - Flexibility

• There’s nothing off the shelf in these schemes! Each has been shaped to fit local needs by the stakeholders involved. Bespoke arrangements have met different needs, resulting in schemes for people on different income levels and in urban and rural locations. Support and funding arrangements have also been flexible – designed to meet local needs

Factor - Local Enthusiasm

• Local people have responded enthusiastically and creatively to the opportunity to develop co operative housing. The development of community spirit, knowing and working with your neighbours and developing local autonomy are all seen as ways to build strong local communities

Home Farm Village

Closing Remarks

• Any Questions please? Thank you!