Empowerment to the People Investigating the social and economic impact of communities taking control...
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Transcript of Empowerment to the People Investigating the social and economic impact of communities taking control...
Empowerment to the PeopleInvestigating the social and economic impact of communities
taking control within Community-Led Housing
Natasha Williams
University of BirminghamSupervisors: Rick Joseph and
David Mullins
Outline
• Localism agenda• Overview of the Housing Cooperative Sector• European Comparatives• Co-operatives & Mutual Housing – Differences• The Community Gateway Model • Research Question(s)• Methodology
Localism Agenda• Devolving service delivery and governance from government to
local communities
• “Too much has been imposed from above, when experience shows that success depends on communities themselves having the power and taking the responsibility.
• It’s no good officials in Whitehall or even the Town Hall telling people what is needed in their street.”
• …. everyone has a stake based on equal rights and where they pay their dues by exercising responsibility in return, and where local communities shape their own futures.
Overview of the Sector
The co-operative housing sector is small – just 0.6% of total housing stock of 16 million homes
– 836 co-operative and mutual housing organisations– Managing over 169,000 homes– 92,000 (54%) owned by co-operative/mutuals– 77,000 (46%) managed by tenants– 62% registered with UK housing regulators– 91% in England, 5% in Scotland, 3% in Wales– 54% in London (71% of TMOs) – rest mainly in other urban areas– 4 Community Gateway Housing Associations – Preston, London, Watford and
Braintree, Essex
European ComparativesIn 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
Co-operatives & Mutual Housing - Differences
• Government funded ownership housing co-operatives – members & tenants own, manage and democratically control their housing
• Tenant Management – Tenants of local authority or housing associations take responsibility for the democratic management features of the delivery of housing services – Right to Manage
The Community Gateway Model
• The Community Gateway Association is a type of not-for-profit organisation that can be used to manage council housing or take ownership of it as a “registered social landlord”.
• Developed through the Co-operative Movement
• Support from Government and financial organisations who lend to housing associations
Key Features• Stock transferred estates (LSVT)• Mutual housing • Own assets collectively• Governance – Tenants make up majority of management board• Led by residents for residents
Key objective:‘Promote community empowerment, community control and community ownership’
Why Empower?
• Sense of community• Contact theory – More positive contact that
people experience with other groups the more tolerant of difference and willing to work together
• Achieved through learning and collective organising
• Require a redistribution of power – culture shift
Research Question(s)
• How can communities improve their deprivation levels by through resident-led initiatives within housing cooperatives and mutual housing.
• Investigate– Approach to localism– Types and significance of social capital– Umbrella organisations/intermediaries/ institutional
support structures– How residents are empowered
Methodology
• Institutional focus – Hybrid organisations• Literature Review• Policy analysis• Case studies focusing Community Gateways • Mixed methods
References• CCMH (2009) Bringing Democracy Home• Czischke, D., Gruis, V and Mullins, D. (2012) Conceptualising Social
Enterprise in Housing Organisations, Housing Studies 27:4, 418 – 437
• Lawson, L and Kearns, A (2010) ‘Community Empowerment’ in the Context of the Glasgow Housing Stock Transfer
• McKee, K (2009). The ‘Responsible’ Tenant and the Problem of Apathy. Social Policy and Society, 8:01 pp 25-36
• Olsson, J and Hysing, E (2012). Theorizing Inside Activism: Understanding Policy Making and Policy Change from Below, Planning Theory and Practice, 13:2, 257-273
• Sacranie, H. (2012) Hybridity Enhacted in a Large English Housing Association: A tale of Strategy, Culture and Community Investment, Housing Studies, 27:4, 533-552