Developing a Tenancy Strategy - Managing the Strategic

Relationship

Nick Hooper

Service Director – Strategic Housing

Bristol

• Deliver properties/tenures in shortage• Make best use of stock, including empties• Contribute to sustainable communities• Prevention though early intervention/advice• Improve the housing officer to better meet

need• Quality homes• Increase independence through support

My Home is My Springboard for Life – Strategic Outcomes

• Use of social stock is directly related to wider housing market dynamics

• Strategic role– Influencing– Directing– Managing risk– Delivery

Whole Systems View

• Bristol Housing Partnership (social landlord forum) has long history

• Moved from information sharing to active collaboration– Common housing register– Joint CBL and common rehousing policy– Universal adaptations process

Starting with History

Structuring the Relationship - Now

Housing Strategy

Allocations Policy

CBL

Structuring the Relationship - Future

Housing Strategy

Tenancy Strategy

Landlord Tenancy Policies & Business

Plans

Allocations Policy

CBL

Aligned to Housing Strategy• Contribute to balanced & sustainable communities• Better meet need thro’ strategic use of stock• Retain accommodation types in shortage• Tackle overcrowding and underoccupation• Maximise new delivery• Meet needs of disabled people

Tenancy Strategy - Objectives

Approach

• 2 stage process– Strategic Investment advice; spring 2011 (tying in

with HCA processes)– Use of assets/meeting need; full Tenancy Strategy

• Stage 1 was agreed by all 4 West of England authorities

• Stage 2 driven by BHP project board

• Compliance with quality standards• Delivery must be accord with SHMA, Core Strategies and

SPDs• No public subsidy (s.106) sites will continue to deliver social

rent• Existing s.106 restrictions remain• Asset sales must align with other policy objectives

(balanced communities)• In some cases conversions from social rent to affordable

rent will be restricted

Strategic Investment Guidance

• Certainty in business planning• No CLG guidance will be issued – so why wait!• Set framework for allocations review• Provides authoritative ‘strategic’ voice

Why Now?

• Flexible framework to guide social landlords and business plans

• Developed with, not imposed upon• Balance between strategic and operational• BHP project board – Strategic Housing-led, with HRA

Landlord Services and 3 x RP’s

Process

• Advertising of properties• ART conversions, including geography• ART rent-setting• Types of tenancy• Fixed term tenancies• Disabled adaptations

Coverage

• Need to understand and model implications of changes, especially affordable rent, flexible tenancies and HB changes

• Need to work with providers to manage the impacts of their business plan changes across the market, not just individually, to meet needs

• Monitoring and review• Affordability• Need a much more fine-grained approach to market

analysis• Critically, must take a whole market perspective in

order to make better use of the homes we have got.

In conclusion