We are on a journey to meet the housing needs of our local communities. As these rise and change, smaller housing associations are meeting the challenge. We are committed to playing our part to meet the 340,000 homes each year which the NHF projects are required by 2031. Not only that, many of us are committed to meeting the need for adaptable homes. People's needs are changing as they age and health changes. Small Housing Associations are likely to be more specialist and committed to developing for people with disabilities, older people, or those with substance misuse or mental health.
Our delivery amongst g320 members is becoming much stronger. Almost every week, I see members publicising the new homes they have built. For example, Haig housing have just completed 68 properties , Crown Simmons Housing completed 4 properties and Bexley Community HA built 12 new homes. Many many more homeless families have the homes they need to build a successful future for them and their families.
As our members are certainly growing, g320 has decided we need to adapt. We have decided unanimously to meet the needs of our members who grow to more than 1000 homes by extending our membership criteria. g320 will now be able to include members from London as they grow up to 2500 homes. Mergers are another reason for members to become larger than 1000 homes, we continue to see some merger activity although it is not very frequent, I believe because small housing associations are committed very strongly to their local purpose, they are less inclined to seek merger partners as a means to develop more homes, preferring to develop incrementally and gradually instead.
We consulted with partners and the wider sector before coming to a conclusion. The Regulator of Social Housing takes a risk based approach to regulation, so does not describe smaller RPs as solely under 1000 units. The NHF consider a smaller RP to be any with under 2500 homes. Finally the GLA communicates to small and medium RPs with a similar offer to both.
It is important to members that our focus was not diluted in any way from supporting the smallest of housing associations who join. We will keep this under review to make sure we keep the community and locality focus which is so integral to our mission.
Clare Norton, g320 Chair and Peter Bedford HA Chief Executive
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