Transcript Marketing Social Housing

Choice, Demand and
Demolition
by
John Earnshaw
Low Demand Project Manager
The Empty Homes Agency
Queen’s Hotel, Leeds
26th April 2006
An overview of the session










Facts and Figures
The Empty Homes Agency
EHA Low Demand Project
Low Demand in Social Housing
Kirklees MDC - example
High Demand Solutions
Market Renewal Pathfinders
The Case For/Against Demolition
The European Housing Scene – Can we learn
anything from our EU neighbours?
Questions & Answers
The Empty Homes Agency

The Empty Homes Agency is a housing
association with charitable status, although we
neither own nor manage any empty property

The Empty Homes Agency is an independent
campaigning charity, which exists to highlight
the waste of empty property in England and
works with others to devise and promote
solutions to bring empty property back into use

The Reason Why We Exist set up in 1992 in
response to the high number of empty
properties and the crisis with homelessness something had to be done!
Empty Homes 2003
Total Empty
718,720
Vacant >6 months
308,438
Empty Homes 2004
Total Empty
689,675
RSL
LA
57,536
39,195
Empty Homes 2005
Total Empty
RSL
LA
680,412
40,613
48,594
What do the figures show?



A massive reduction of 29,045 empty
homes overall in England in 2004
A further reduction of 10,000 empty
homes overall in 2005
That The Empty Homes Agency’s
Enabling Strategy Really Works!
The Empty Homes Agency
website

Click on ‘Resources’
Then click on ‘Statistics’

www.emptyhomes.com

The Empty Homes Agency’s
Low Demand Project




Officially started March 2004
Based in the Barnsley
Big Lottery Funded
Off to a ‘flying’ start
The Empty Homes
Agency’s
Low Demand Project




Setting up project to help communities in areas
of low demand
Developing communications, media work and
policy
Developing EHA work on low demand with the
nine Market Renewal Pathfinders
For the very latest on the project see –
www.emptyhomes.com/ld/lowdhome.htm
Early visits…Burnley and Hull

Daneshouse

Giroscope and North
Bransholme
…. Leeds and Salford

CANOPY Housing Project
Leeds

City of Salford
So what is Low Demand?



There are approximately 680,000 empty homes
in England, many of which are in areas of low
demand for housing.
Almost one million householders live in areas of
so called low demand for housing or housing
market failure.
These are areas with high numbers of empty
homes and often problems of anti-social
behaviour, crime, drugs and dereliction.
What exactly is
Low Demand in Social
Housing?
In the case of social housing, housing in blocks or management
patches of at least 50 dwellings, it is classed as low demand,
where one or more of the following symptoms is exhibited
 tenancy offers frequently refused
 a small or non-existent waiting list
 high rates of voids available for letting
 high rates of tenancy turnover
So why did social housing
need to be marketed in
Kirklees in 1999?

Typical ‘low demand’ social housing in Kirklees UK
Let’s turn the clock back
to 1999 and find out why




Over 1,000 Voids Scheduled for
Demolition
Appointed as Voids Project Manager
Lots of Fresh Thinking, Innovation and
New Ideas on Lettings and Marketing in
Social Housing
Some examples on the next few
slides………..
Getting to Know The Product

Inspecting all vacant properties, including
bungalows, flats, houses and sheltered
accommodation for any repairs, grass-cutting
and litter etc

Talking to and/or visiting local ‘quality’ estate
agents to see how they operated – brochures,
reception areas, ‘TO LET’ boards, viewings etc
‘TO LET’ Boards
Advertising







Advertising and Marketing – useful items
It paid to advertise – literally anywhere!
Placed regular smallish ‘ads’ in the local and
regional newspapers
Designed and printed a coloured ‘Property
Guide’ to distribute to prospective tenants
Grouped email ‘shots’ to customers
SMS - Text Messaging to customers
Tried local radio!
Yes, anywhere!
Swansea Home Choice
www.swansea.gov.uk
Anne Smith - Project Manager says ‘the
most successful marketing techniques have
reduced voids from 1,500 in 2004 to just
452 this week’
 Detailed Property Specifications
 One to One Interviews with customers
 Regular Customer Surveys with prize
draws
 Show Homes and Open Days
 Targeted Mail Shots
Some of the Kirklees
results through
Fresh Thinking





Let over 500 ‘low demand’ properties in 12
month period
Creation of pioneering Kirklees/Camden housing
partnership
Won Empty Homes Agency’s National Award for
‘Best Strategy on Tackling Low Demand’
BBC made documentary on my work
Creation of ‘LAWN’ – movement of people from
London and the South East to the Midlands and
the North of England
Some
High Demand
Solutions
Choice Base Lettings and
Regional Mobility

LAWN

MoveUK
‘Fresh Start’ Options

London Borough of Lewisham – ‘Moving
out of London’ scheme

Poole Borough Council – tenants open
day
Low Demand in the
Private Sector
Housing Market in Burnley
Low Demand – so what is
working?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Answers? – no single answer
Community Anchors - Chicago
Community involvement
Early monitoring system
Home swaps - Salford
Homesteading - Sheffield
Mobility schemes – HEMS, LAWN &
MOVEUK
• Re-profiling – North West
• Self-help housing – Canopy & Giroscope
How can The Empty Homes
Agency help?
• Campaigning voice (e.g. Empty
Homes Management Orders)
• Good practice guide
• Local authority support
• Low demand support
• RSL support
• Website www.emptyhomes.com
Constantly Look for New
Ideas







Change of use ?
Conferences
Courses
Local forums
Networking
Partnering
Seminars
There are nine Market
Renewal Pathfinder areas

Birmingham and Sandwell

East Lancashire

Humberside

Manchester and Salford

Merseyside

Newcastle and Gateshead

North Staffordshire

Oldham and Rochdale

South Yorkshire
House of Commons – Select
Committee Report –
Empty Homes and Low Demand
Pathfinders – 8th February







Written and Verbal Evidence from:
TPAS
SAVE Britain’s Heritage
English Heritage
Empty Homes Agency
Welsh Streets Home Group
Whitefield Conservation Action Group
House of Commons – Select
Committee Report (8th)
Empty Homes and Low Demand
Pathfinders – Summary - 5th April




Concerns expressed about the scale of
demolitions envisaged and the impact on
vulnerable communities
Pathfinders need to consult better with local
communities and consider different options for
improvements, including more refurbishments
Broad recognition that the communities need
support during this period of transition
Pathfinders should be allowed to spend a
significant proportion of their funds on helping
communities
DEMOLITION – Is it really a
valid option?

The tradition of bulldozing areas
in decline must be overcome if
the aim of sustainable
development is to be achieved,
the government was warned
this week.
Inside Housing 12th December 2004
DEMOLITION – Phase 1
Read all about it!

Empties fall but associations
buck trend
Another fall in empty homes
across England has been marred
by a rise in the number owned
by housing associations.
Inside Housing - 13th February 2004
DEMOLITION – Phase 3

North Staffs pathfinder plans 4,000+
home demolition
A £35 million plan to ease market
decline has been agreed by the North
Staffordshire housing market renewal
pathfinder.
Inside Housing 12th August 2003
ITV
Monday 16th May Friday 20th May 2005
Complete Refurbishment
through Innovative Design







Terraced house in Powis Street, Toxteth
Completely refurbished
New bathroom
New kitchen
Completely Transformed for £24K
Affordable for First Time Buyers
Is this a valid solution for the Pathfinders
to copy?
Urban Splash
Chimney Pot Park, Salford

Opposition to large scale
demolition?
SEE
www.fightfourourhomes.com
Some more case studies





Burnley Wood Community Action Group
www.burnleywood.com
Canopy Housing Project – Leeds
Dall Street Residents – Burnley
Giroscope – Hull
Welsh Streets - Liverpool
Demolition or
Refurbishment?
This is what we, the Dall Street Residents would like to see done to our
much loved terraced homes.
Ringo attacks
Demolition of City
Homes


Ringo Starr, the former Beatle, said
yesterday (23rd May) that 20,000
homes on Merseyside, including his
birthplace, should be restored
instead of being knocked down
"Why are they knocking them
down? If it is economically viable,
they should do them up”
European Network for
Housing Research

www.enhr.ibf.uu.se
YOU’VE NOW SEEN THE
EVIDENCE!
So, the question the nine Market Renewal
Pathfinders must now ask themselves -
Is Wholesale Demolition
Really a Valid Option?
What do you think?
ALWAYS REMEMBER
WHATEVER YOU DO
‘PREVENTION IS BETTER
THAN THE CURE’
The Empty Homes Agency
www.emptyhomes.com
195 – 197 Victoria Street
London
SW1E 5NE
And
PO Box 3609
Barnsley
S75 1WW
Thank You for Listening
and
Any Questions?