Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 1/71 - Homes in Community Hands: Year Two evalu…

Homes in Community Hands: Year Two evaluation report

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 2/71 - Contents

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 3/71 - About this report

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 4/71 - Executive summary

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 5/71 - However, this suggests little use is bei…

However, this suggests little use is being made of market housing to cross-subsidise or to provide the finance for additional projects.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 6/71 - amongst local policymakers of the sector…

amongst local policymakers of the sectors potential contribution to addressing local housing challenges.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 7/71 - were concerns that the grants received w…

were concerns that the grants received were not sufficient, or had not provided enough time, to develop sustainable business models.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 8/71 - 1. Introduction

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 9/71 - More funding and finance has also flowed…

More funding and finance has also flowed into the sector from different sources.5 New forms of institutional lending are still emerging,6 alongside new models for raising funding and finance from local communities7 and through public bodies. In 2018 the sector secured commitment from the government to create a Community Housing Fund, providing revenue and capital grants to CLH groups, but also funding to develop the infrastructure of support. This has led to new strands of work to create a CLH enabler training and accreditation system, a new fund for start-up support for groups, a national CLH advice centre and, crucially for this evaluation, dedicated grant funding for enabler hubs. Community Housing Fund (CHF) grants were allocated to hubs by early 2020, providing them with revenue support until 2021.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 10/71 - To deliver these objectives the programm…

To deliver these objectives the programme is providing grants to help community businesses build or refurbish affordable housing designed to meet local needs. It is investing directly in local CLH groups to enable them to develop their organisation and their housing scheme, while also providing grants to enabler organisations, and others who can help groups realise their schemes.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 11/71 - In the following section we set out the …

In the following section we set out the broad `theory of change for the programme, as developed collaboratively with Power to Change and stakeholders in 2018, considering changes and the impact of moderating factors on this theory. This is followed by a detailed assessment of the evidence concerning project grantees, and the deeper learning from qualitative research with them. We then synthesise various evidence from the hub grantees to assess their activities, outputs, outcomes and emerging impacts, before sharing some rich insights from the range of interviewees engaged in enabling activity or partnering with the hub.

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2. Theory of change and research framework

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Figure 1: The initial theory of change logic model Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research | 6

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 14/71 - 2.2. Moderating factors

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 15/71 - 3. Community-led housing projects

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Figure 2: Project funding and distribution (England)

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 17/71 - from houses, shops, community centres, b…

from houses, shops, community centres, business and retail space, to health and sports facilities. This is likely to distinguish them from the wider pipeline of CLH projects, given the age and maturity of organisations developing these. This is significant, as it has a bearing on several issues associated with project viability, replicability and impact, as discussed further in the report.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 18/71 - With 70 per cent of projects in the `Pla…

With 70 per cent of projects in the `Plan and `Build phase, we can expect a number of these projects to deliver schemes in the coming years. Hence the bulk of the housing and wider wellbeing impacts for residents and wider communities are yet to be felt.

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3.3. Housing outputs, outcomes and impacts

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 20/71 - other affordable housing provision, and …

other affordable housing provision, and the wider CLH pipeline, discussed further below.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 21/71 - With only 3 per cent of units in our sur…

With only 3 per cent of units in our survey sample priced to match the market, this enables us to draw certain conclusions. In proportional terms these projects may deliver far more affordable homes on a given site than the wider CLH pipeline, and significantly more than schemes funded under the governments Affordable Homes Programme (AHP). In 2019/20 approximately 30 per cent of completed units in these AHP funded schemes were for market housing.15 This raises questions for these projects, identified above, as to whether they should explore market options where the viability of their schemes is marginal.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 22/71 - Table 2: The affordability of planned Af…

Table 2: The affordability of planned Affordable Rented homes

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 23/71 - the overall development costs. If this i…

the overall development costs. If this is grossed to all project grantees in the programme, then we anticipate development expenditure in the region of �270 million, should all projects reach the development stage. Further economic benefits will be derived from new jobs, made possible by the Homes in Community Hands funding to projects, but also though hubs, for instance, in the Tees Valley where around 50 per cent of pipeline projects have intended employment and training as well as housing impacts. Within the projects surveyed, grants have funded more than 570 hours of staff time, on average, supporting new and continued employment through the projects themselves.

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Figure 7: Impacts and intentions (Homes in Community Hands survey sample and Capital Economics sample)

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 25/71 - The value of the Homes in Community Hand…

The value of the Homes in Community Hands contribution was �240,000, or just over half the total project budget. Figure 8: Cohesive Communities Fund funded projects (England and Wales)

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 26/71 - nine affordable units. The funding is al…

nine affordable units. The funding is also being used to provide working capital to an enabler hub. These projects are at varying stages developing both Affordable Rent and Shared Ownership homes.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 27/71 - The interviews highlighted issues that a…

The interviews highlighted issues that are familiar to the sector, although Covid-19 has crystalised some of the existing challenges that groups face. The main learning points relate to:

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 28/71 - events had resulted in some members (and…

events had resulted in some members (and future residents of their housing) having to leave the project to find alternative accommodation.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 29/71 - Some projects have developed strong boar…

Some projects have developed strong boards with a mix of valuable skills and had not therefore had to hire staff. This was the case for Calder Valley CLT who are planning and developing multiple schemes, and who recognise a growing need for paid staff and the revenue to support this. This has prompted them to develop plans and target grants for revenue funding. In some cases, funding for technical housing and development expertise was required. Sussex Community Housing Hub and specialist architect practices were crucial in supporting two of the projects interviewed, advising on funding, planning applications, site design and consultation processes.

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`... [it] is disappointing that Homes in Community Hands is now closed to new applications. The CCF grant was very useful funding and needs to be replicated somewhere

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 31/71 - Relationships with enabler hubs

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 32/71 - and knowledge can be mobilised, alongsid…

and knowledge can be mobilised, alongside or within hubs, is a subject for further study.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 33/71 - a recipient of a Cohesive Communities Fu…

a recipient of a Cohesive Communities Fund grant, their main purpose was to `develop skills and engagement that will ensure local ownership of the CLT (South Bank CLT representative). The project has been greatly helped by the willingness of a core of residents to `go the course and active support from the borough council, TVCH, voluntary sector partners and committed directors.

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the issue of the speed of development in the CLH sector, drawing parallels with the wider housebuilding industry.24 The study shows that standard private housebuilding takes, from pre-planning to completion, an average of 6.9 years, but this does not account for all land acquisition activity and negotiations. Even if the funded projects move at this speed, we can expect grantee projects to still be developing homes to 2028, with the impacts on residents arising after this point. Patience is required from funders and evaluators, with investment and support being put in place for the long term.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 35/71 - workshops with people and speak to solic…

workshops with people and speak to solicitors about MHOS [Mutual Home Ownership Societies] ... theyre feeling more confident and determined.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 36/71 - 4. Enabling hubs

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 37/71 - Figure 10: Hub income sources

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 38/71 - Figure 11: Expenditure as percentage of …

Figure 11: Expenditure as percentage of Homes in Community Hands grant (relating to the most recent allocation of funds)

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 39/71 - without Homes in Community Hands grants.…

without Homes in Community Hands grants. The grants have played a less significant role (than Community Housing Fund grants at least) in funding external support for CLH projects.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 40/71 - Hub pipelines

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 41/71 - Figure 12: Hub pipelines by project like…

Figure 12: Hub pipelines by project likelihood score

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 42/71 - Additional analysis has explored only th…

Additional analysis has explored only those projects where planning approval has been received or, if planning permission was not required, where homes are currently being developed or are complete. This identifies 16 such projects, totalling 198 homes This is a small proportion of the pipeline, constituting only 7 per cent of all homes in pipeline projects. So, while the pipeline is large, there are significant contingencies around the delivery of up to 3,000 new homes.

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councils, community anchor organisations and heritage trusts. This corroborates the recurring theme that Homes in Community Hands funding is supporting a varied range of CLH activity, with potentially diverse impacts.

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promotional activity with both groups and key stakeholders. In the Tees Valley, the appointment of a second part-time development support worker in October enabled the hub to give greater priority to administrative and planning tasks such as `keeping track of costs, project support, [being a] sounding board to the hub lead and steering group and thinking about future sustainability (CHTV Hub development support worker). Further time investment was still required to use the webpage to promote hub activities and achievements such as the Redcar & Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency (RCVDA) first new-build project moving to `Live stage in January 2021; a new website was anticipated later in 2021. The appointment of a director by Breaking Ground also had a significant impact. One stakeholder observed that the directors appointment and subsequent activity had been a `massive catalyst for change within the wider city region and CLH (BG stakeholder representative). In addition to day-today organisational development, the hub undertook a branding exercise, resulting in its new name � Breaking Ground � as well as a week-long CLH festival which raised the profile of the sector nationally as well as regionally.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 45/71 - challenged the resilience of the hub mod…

challenged the resilience of the hub models, just at the point that they had completed the `forming and `norming stage and begun to establish a regional presence. Some key strands of learning to address these challenges have emerged. This includes both scaling up and scaling out local projects, moving into development and asset ownership as an RP and accessing Affordable Homes Programme funding, as well as seeking to grow `ecosystems of support for CLH that are less dependent on a single organisation.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 46/71 - The `deep dives conducted by Community L…

The `deep dives conducted by Community Led Homes advisors also prompted several hubs to think systematically through their options for future income, drawing on the long-term experience of advisors from the `Wessex model of capitalising advice and support costs across the life cycle of successful projects. These discussions also prompted hubs to explore other locally relevant options while avoiding `reinventing the wheel. Hubs valued regular facilitated interactions and meetings between each other; one member of the Breaking Ground steering group commented that `the national network and infrastructure has been really good. Were wired into that and theres a lot of fast learning to be gained. This work has been supported by a dedicated action learning process, starting with a baselining process to understand hub contexts and challenges, with subsequent action learning sets and coaching calls. This process originally involved a series of face-to-face residentials and learning sets, but the methods have changed in light of Covid-19.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 47/71 - enabling services. Looking across the hu…

enabling services. Looking across the hubs it becomes clear very different structures are emerging to meet their specific internal dynamics or other local factors and priorities.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 48/71 - want to be part of a movement (LCH hub o…

want to be part of a movement (LCH hub officer), rather than wedded to development of one specific scheme.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 49/71 - This relationship building work was used…

This relationship building work was used in turn by wMUCH to inform a pitch to influence candidates for the May 2021 mayoral elections, on a range of issues including land and infrastructure, revenue funding for groups and for the hub to support its active pipeline. The 2021 mayoral elections were used similarly by LCH and the Breaking Ground hub. For the former, the aim was to influence mayoral manifestos. In Liverpool City Region the combined authority had previously supported CLH projects in Bootle and the Wirral, and was now asking for investment of �3.8 million over four years (�800,000 revenue and �3 million capital contributions) and support for the hub to facilitate delivery of the programme. The hub also has aspirations of creating a `political champions working group, bringing a group of local councillors together to meet regularly, guided by agreed terms of reference. Through its work with subregional RP networks LCH has sought to collectively influence the West Yorkshire combined authority: `We got ourselves into that [NYHP] partnership ... who are preparing representations for the mayoral elections (LCH hub lead).

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 50/71 - development, and strong mutual trust; an…

development, and strong mutual trust; and the local legacy of HMRA in South Bank. The councils housing strategy officer was `very pleased to work with them around an important issue for the council [empty homes] adding as much value as possible � employment skills especially for young people. He met with CHTV when applications went in for Community Housing Fund and Homes in Community Hands to ensure that the plans for a council CLH officer and for the CLH hub dovetailed.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 51/71 - providing direct support to communities …

providing direct support to communities in engaging around the concept, their negotiations are centred on heads of terms for land disposal, housing management expectations if they receive grant funding to support development, and other technical matters. For a local authority this is a necessary shift when dealing impartially with a competitive tender process, and it was commented that their changing role `really highlights the importance of a hub to provide support, training and governance advice (local authority official, Bristol City Council).

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 52/71 - Despite the narrative outlined by the co…

Despite the narrative outlined by the council officer of CLH filling the gap abandoned by RPs as they scaled up, `theyve kind of moved away from that (their original ethos) and CLH is like now reinventing that (RCC housing strategy lead), negotiating their role has often been far from straightforward. In practice a plurality of development routes and partnership approaches are emerging as Community Led Homes (2020) has begun to map out in their recent report on partnerships between housing associations and community-led housing organisations.33

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substance abuse peer recovery model) there are plans for collaboration with other hub partner projects including Hartlepool Health Village and North Ormesby CLT. Key strengths are in project planning and finance, modular construction, green design and viable building layouts.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 54/71 - Business Plan 2021 may foster collaborat…

Business Plan 2021 may foster collaborations with municipal housing companies and private sector developers as well, where there is a shared vision for CLH:

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 55/71 - support to produce affordable homes. The…

support to produce affordable homes. They show the advantages of strategic approaches to stakeholder relationship management and the importance of maintaining a variety of options and partnership forms in order to maximise leverage.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 56/71 - them with an enabler, allocating somewhe…

them with an enabler, allocating somewhere between four and nine days of enabler time at the outset depending on the groups developmental needs. The costs of contracting an enabler have so far been met through core grants. Projects often also benefit from pro bono time invested by advisors. In the Tees Valley, CHTV built on local CLH traditions of pro bono peer advice and collaboration in an area of high deprivation. As noted above, the Homes in Community Hands grant enabled a further 531 advisor hours to be delivered to 13 projects by four advisors. The enabling model in this area has drawn on the strong alliance-based structure that underpins the hub and has assembled a pipeline of projects, with the 17 deemed most likely to proceed having the potential to produce 262 community-led housing homes.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 57/71 - `You cant beat a face-to-face meeting wi…

`You cant beat a face-to-face meeting with a local project specific to a site. You want to be with a group, visioning a site, and also for a group to work face-to-face to gel and deal with difficulties, to have straightforward conversations that are vital for any development. (Breaking Ground enabler)

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 58/71 - make this work possible. As these grant …

make this work possible. As these grant programmes come to an end, hubs have worked on identifying and developing alternative income streams to sustain their existence beyond the period of grant funding. In the first year of our evaluation, hubs were working on and implementing such plans, including considering fee-based models of service provision and asset acquisition, but their focus on this has intensified as the major grant programmes wound down.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 59/71 - �800,000 of revenue funding over a four-…

�800,000 of revenue funding over a four-year period, which would provide important support to grow the pipeline of groups, provide reassurances to groups embarking on the process over potential funding, and � should they wish to work with the hub � offer an opportunity for Breaking Ground to undertake contracted, fee-based work, thus helping to sustain the hub. Similarly, other hubs are hoping to secure finance from local authorities. In some places, such as Bristol, the local authority already operates capital grant funding which is available to CLH groups (though not exclusively), and so one argument may be that revenue funding acts as a natural extension to this. However, there is also recognition amongst interviewees that local authorities continue to operate under restricted budgets � for instance, a recent report showed that the spending of local authorities in the North on housing and planning services has significantly reduced over the last ten years in line with austerity measures (Hincks et al., 2020).

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seen as more challenging to secure agreement of newer projects at an early stage of development to commit to contributions several years down the line. Couching it as `solidarity rather than `development contributions seemed a potential way to secure value-based buy-in.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 61/71 - empowerment, wellbeing and broad aspects…

empowerment, wellbeing and broad aspects of place. For many of these impacts to be realised the pipeline projects need to be supported, and the section above reveals the vital role hubs are playing not only in advising and supporting CLH projects, but also in changing local conditions and relations to make these conducive to CLH. One might pose a series of counterfactual scenarios about the progress that may not have been made in New Ferry without Breaking Grounds support for the community land trust through difficult legal challenges, or the nature of development at Mistress Lane in Leeds without the CLH focus asserted by LCHs project leadership.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 62/71 - of constrained funding. However, increas…

of constrained funding. However, increasing the coverage and awareness of CLH within local authorities may help to clarify how it can contribute to local authority policy agendas and, vice versa, how local authorities can accommodate varied forms of CLH within their policies, strategies and activities. One hub directly attributed discussions around political commitment and change to the Homes in Community Hands funding, stating that `Power to Change funding has helped us to push into that (LCH hub lead).

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 63/71 - 5. The theory of change in practice

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 64/71 - � Output � Number of sites and pipeline …

� Output � Number of sites and pipeline of schemes. With a pipeline of 2,300 homes in the highest likelihood categories, hubs are perhaps exceeding expectations in the number of projects coming forward in their areas. Comparisons may be offered to the national pipeline of CLH homes which, in 2020, identified around 10,000 homes being planned within projects where the development stage was known.38 While the differing methodologies make direct comparison difficult, hub pipelines appear sufficiently large to suggest they are making a large contribution to the pipeline of CLH homes nationally.

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groups and the nature of hub business models, is making the prospect of financial sustainability beyond their grant funding ever more unlikely. In response, hubs are seeking to innovate and diversify income sources, against what are difficult prevailing conditions. � Outcome � Wider and stronger local networks and partnerships creating a conducive environment for CLH. As described in the previous section, progress is being made on influencing and formalising partnerships, which is affecting the conditions for CLH locally. Nonetheless, Covid-19 is reframing the priorities of various stakeholders and funders, which will challenge the strength of these relationships in future, and the CLH sectors ability to capitalise on them. � Outcome � Stronger national peer networks, where groups and advisors support each other. Signs are emerging from the evaluation that resource invested in online hub platforms, facilitated online forums and action learning support has been valued by hubs, and is enabling them to share learning and resources to improve practices. Connections to other grant funded programmes, such as the CHF enabler grant programme and the Nationwide Foundations Backing Community-Led Housing, has been important in wider skills development and movement building. � Outcome � Additional affordable homes being developed in hub areas, and at a faster rate than pre-grant levels. While pipelines are developing fast, delivery is notably slow. Only 31 units of housing have been delivered through hub supported projects, and fewer still from Homes in Community Hands funded projects. Speed of delivery has perhaps been slowed by Covid-19, but even still the completion of homes supported through the programme will take many years to materialise. � Outcome � National policy and funding programmes that support CLH growth. Despite the efforts of national bodies to lobby government and other funders for support for CLH, the national picture on policy and funding is bleaker than when the programme was announced. The extent to which this programme should, or does, contribute to an improved funding and policy regime remains unclear. � Impact � Greater community cohesion and civic engagement. It has been noted that many of the end impacts for beneficiaries, linked to the programmes contribution, will take several years to materialise. Nonetheless, some impacts are already being seen, notably in the skills, perceptions and behaviours of volunteers involved in the projects supported and funded. Evidence from YorSpace and Heart of Hastings suggest that, even if their projects do not create new housing, they will have had a significant effect on individual participants.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 66/71 - Figure 14: The theory of change logic mo…

Figure 14: The theory of change logic model � areas of substantive change Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research | 59

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 67/71 - 6. Conclusion

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 68/71 - development and service provision. This …

development and service provision. This is reflected in their progress in developing large pipelines, but also in their increasing credibility, influence and collaboration with local stakeholders and partners.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 69/71 - 3. Climate change: To support community …

3. Climate change: To support community businesses to make a significant contribution locally to the transition to net zero. They will continue their work on community energy, as well as building on the best examples of community businesses working to create climate benefits, including sustainable communityled housing.

Homes In Community Hands_Year 2 Evaluation Report.pdf - page 70/71 - Appendix 1: Moderating factors affecting…

Appendix 1: Moderating factors affecting the programme

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