Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 1/84 - Homes in Community Hands: Year Three eva…

Homes in Community Hands: Year Three evaluation report

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 2/84 - Contents

Contents

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 3/84 - About Power to Change

About Power to Change

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 4/84 - Executive Summary

Executive Summary

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 5/84 - Project grantees benefit from local lead…

Project grantees benefit from local leadership, with board members and representatives often drawn from the neighbourhoods where development is targeted. This local embeddedness was complemented by important external advice and support from enabler hubs and Registered Providers. It was felt that enabler hubs have built local ecosystems of support, making different types of formal and informal support more accessible and readily available to local projects, on terms that they are comfortable with.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 6/84 - have emphases on higher levels of afford…

have emphases on higher levels of affordability, energy efficiency, and focuses on community engagement than is found in most market or social housing.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 7/84 - The HCH programme was intended to delive…

The HCH programme was intended to deliver additional community-led homes, and in so doing help grantees impact in various ways. We used the CLH sectors own impact categories to assess if and how CLH meets peoples housing needs, produces greater community cohesion and civic engagement, and improves health and wellbeing. The slow development of projects means that these impacts are limited at present. Only around 25 homes that have received some form of programme support have been completed and occupied. Nonetheless, evidence from hubs and completed projects - presented in Chapter 5 - indicates that these homes are at affordable or social rents. In addition, several are providing housing for people in recovery or leaving care, are already creating wellbeing benefits. There has been more widespread community cohesion and civic participation benefits arising from projects at an earlier stage of development, linked to resident and community participation in project planning and design. One interviewee reported that half of the current residents of the completed housing had been involved in the refurbishment work as volunteers or trainees. They had `actually worked on the property that they now live in - it gives them that much more ownership of it.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 8/84 - additionality of HCH funding - in terms …

additionality of HCH funding - in terms of their development pipelines - through comparison with non-HCH-funded hubs. Overall, the programme has made a major contribution here in tandem with other funders. It has been, and will continue to be, challenging for hubs to develop sustainable funding models over the timescale required, and this is one area the programmes contribution is fragile.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 9/84 - enabling hubs on the most effective and …

enabling hubs on the most effective and sustainable models, and how to forge local ecosystems of support. National bodies also have a role in refining and consolidating impact tools, and in the standardisation of impact data so that it can be aggregated. � Local infrastructure. Local enabling organisations will need to find connections between housing and other social, economic and environmental actions, in order to maximise opportunities for funding. CLH projects may, for instance, connect to wider regeneration initiatives, action on climate change, or moves for greater community ownership. Hubs will need to diversify their income streams, e.g. through work with partners, direct involvement in housing development, direct access to public grants and finance, and through provision of housing management and stock maintenance services. Hubs should be encouraged and supported to keep sharing resources and intelligence around building local ecosystems of support. � Local authorities and registered providers. Small investments by local agencies may provide the revenue that makes the difference in bringing CLH projects to fruition. RP partnerships will become ever more important, and the different types of partnerships developed between the HCH hubs and local RPs are models for others to consider. There is significant potential for more CLH schemes within major planned developments. Local authorities can catalyse more CLH by changing their approach to land disposals, prioritising social value over financial returns. � CLH groups. Diversification beyond housing may be necessary for some groups. This could widen the opportunity for funding as well as broadening the benefits for communities. Groups need to choose development partners carefully on a values basis. Our research shows the benefits of such collaborative partnerships. However, this is a postcode lottery and not every CLH project has a supportive local partner. Knowing and demonstrating the potential impact of CLH projects will be critical in building support from partners. CLH groups also need to plan and prepare for long lead-in times for development projects, devising effective strategies to maintain local engagement throughout. This report reveals some of the emerging and potential impacts of community-led housing. It has shown how funding initiatives like the HCH programme, when aligned with other resources and factors, can create the potential for large scale impact from CLH. However, this is contingent on a wider funding environment. Proactive involvement by a variety of funders, stakeholders, alongside enablers and CLH groups, will be needed for the full potential for CLH to be realised in the coming years.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 10/84 - 1. Introduction

1. Introduction

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From 2016, new funding flowed into the sector from different sources, alongside new forms of lending,3 as alternative models for raising funding and finance from local communities were applied.4 After an initial allocation of funds to local authorities to support CLH, in 2018 the government launched phase 2 of the Community Housing Fund (CHF). This provided revenue and capital grants to groups and proved a vital source of support as groups sought to bring forward housing schemes. Funding was also made available to develop an infrastructure that could help these groups navigate the complexities of housing development. This led to diverse and important activity, for instance, helping create an enabler training and accreditation system, a national CLH advice centre and, crucially for this evaluation, dedicated grant funding for enabler hubs operating at sub-regional levels. Informed by previous research5 on the importance of an enabling infrastructure, and how this should be constructed, CHF grants were allocated to 26 hubs, providing them with revenue support until 2021.

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1.2. A brief introduction to the Homes in Community Hands programme

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� Ten interviews with actors involved in ten projects funded by the programme directly or supported by the enabler hubs.

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2. Programme development and national perspectives on impact

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Figure 1: Total grant making Figure 2: The geography of grant making

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 16/84 - Figure 3: The theory of change logic mod…

Figure 3: The theory of change logic model Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research | 7

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 17/84 - 2.3. Moderating factors

2.3. Moderating factors

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 18/84 - Below we present some of the key insight…

Below we present some of the key insights from these interviews, before zooming into the local and sub-regional level, to look specifically at funded projects and hubs.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 19/84 - Despite these gains, national actors ref…

Despite these gains, national actors reflected on the disconnect between different funds and the implications of this for the sector. The existence of several distinct grant programmes, including HCH and CHF but also the Nationwide Foundations Backing CLH programme, has created administrative burdens for different actors. The inefficiencies in managing and reporting on multiple grants was seen as a key issue for both hubs and projects.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 20/84 - Despite the progress made in building hu…

Despite the progress made in building hub networks, the direct support provided by some national partners to hubs had been `frustrating (HCH stakeholder three). Various factors hampered efforts, including the way new hubs were formed through the HCH programme, the short timescales for this, and the capacity within the hubs to undertake the required organisational development. It had been hard for hubs `to get a model that really works and reflects what local people want and delivers a service at the same time (HCH stakeholder three), particularly within the timescales of the programme. There has also been a lack of expertise within national partnerships and locally in terms of organisation building, `nobody in the programme had that expertise (HCH stakeholder three).

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initiated it and they did it because they were impressed with the hub... and theres a deadline [so] the funding has to be spent in order to get the project done, said HCH stakeholder two. The importance of this example is it presents a model where the speed and efficiency of CLH developments may be significantly improved, and where deadlines focus the minds of all stakeholders in the project.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 22/84 - significant pipeline of CLH homes. In Ma…

significant pipeline of CLH homes. In May 2020, Homes England reported that, when its CHF programme closed in March 2020, it held approved applications from CLH projects planning 10,780 homes. As we will see later in the report, our analysis of HCHfunded hub pipelines corroborates this picture. Interviewees highlighted how other initiatives that were not funded by the HCH programme have boosted the development of CLH in the five areas and beyond, revealing the importance of HCH within a broader system of change. As one stakeholder noted, the ability of the five hubs to provide quality support and accredited advice has been `augmented through the national training and accreditation programme (HCH stakeholder one). This has meant hubs have had some assurance that the people supporting CLH groups have some of the skills required. Workforce development is still required though, and it would help if CLH organisations had the ability to retain and recruit leaders from the wider affordable housing sector, where many of the required development skills are to be found. Hence, the HCH programme was developed and implemented in a wider system, building on a pre-existing set of relationships, factors, and resources. The impact of the HCH programme has therefore both amplified, and been amplified by, other funding programmes.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 23/84 - 3. Community-led housing projects

3. Community-led housing projects

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 24/84 - non-residential spaces, made possible th…

non-residential spaces, made possible through engagement with their local and combined authority. Our finding from year two remains that HCH-funded projects are engaged in asset development far beyond housing.

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Table 1: Development stages of projects with known status

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 26/84 - Cumulative number of homes planned

Cumulative number of homes planned

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 27/84 - Figure 5: Planned homes by tenure

Figure 5: Planned homes by tenure

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 28/84 - affordable to households on average loca…

affordable to households on average local incomes. The extent to which such homes will meet the needs of those in more acute financial hardship is unclear.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 29/84 - active on mixed use developments. HCH-fu…

active on mixed use developments. HCH-funded projects are likely to have significant impacts on local places and people beyond the direct beneficiaries of new housing. From other research, we know community asset owners generally direct their expenditure to local suppliers, and if this were the case with HCH-funded projects they would provide a boost to local economies.23 We noted in 2021 that the projected development expenditure of all funded projects was approximately �270 million. Example HCH projects show that, for some, over a third of the total development budget is allocated to non-residential assets. In one such project 17 per cent of the development budget is allocated to green space, landscaping, agricultural provision and/or outdoor leisure facilities, with a further 4.5 per cent allocated for community energy infrastructure. Another example project has set aside 13 per cent of its budget for commercial space and 9 per cent for buildings that will host public services and other community facilities. The chart below shows the development budgets of these two projects, with the inner ring relating to project one, and outer ring project two. Figure 6: Distribution of non-residential expenditure in two example HCH grantee project

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 30/84 - also stated a focus on supporting vulner…

also stated a focus on supporting vulnerable groups, with four planning to provide support for those with disabilities, two of which were also aiming to support those experiencing mental health issues. HCH-funded projects have shown themselves to be anything but simple housing development schemes.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 31/84 - project progress. Both projects also had…

project progress. Both projects also had some direct engagement with key individuals from hubs also funded under the Homes in Community Hands programme. The extent and nature of engagement of the projects with Registered Providers (RPs)24 and local authorities are also reviewed. Thus there are further insights into this evaluations exploration of the value of enabling infrastructure.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 32/84 - rent or to buy. An LGC project informant…

rent or to buy. An LGC project informant said, `If it works, we will be doing something to tackle a big problem.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 33/84 - Several core members had previously been…

Several core members had previously been involved in a Radical Routes housing cooperative with shared spaces for single people, but wanted to move on to develop purpose built and self-contained homes suitable for bringing up their families. An SCD member told us these would preserve `mutual support and help without the cooking rota, and address the more structural issues of control over your housing. Its been a good number of years and models but its finally looking like we will own the land in the next few weeks.

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the three founder worker cooperatives and an RP partner into an effective and democratic team to plan a cooperative solution for housing, business and community needs in the heart of Stirchley.

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secondary... Its about what we share with each other, coops working together kind of stuff... pooling resources to challenge the power of asset owners. Furthermore a Loaf member noted, `We couldnt do it on our own, but by coming together we can make something happen, turning property from financial assets to community assets. And further still, an Artefact member told us, `...it will be a visible flagship run and used by local people...not sucking wealth out. We are all people from the area.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 36/84 - A further important benefit participants…

A further important benefit participants were looking for was mutual support and security both for single people and families.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 37/84 - has been developed so that it is clear w…

has been developed so that it is clear which of the existing cooperative members wish to be housed. The main difference for the BCC nominations is that the local authoritys allocations criteria will apply. 14 apartments scattered across the scheme have been reserved for nominees. SCD will work with BCC to send targeted information about cooperative housing to higher band applicants interested in the Stirchley area in advance of the lettings period, to allow a membership induction process before moving in. All residents will be expected to get involved in the cooperative decision-making processes and the running of SCD once the properties are let.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 38/84 - and design and there are fewer three-bed…

and design and there are fewer three-bedroom apartments than originally envisaged in order to ensure viability. There were also additional legal costs associated with the section 106 agreement, which seemed unnecessary to the group since it was offering 100 per cent affordable homes and 35 per cent nominations to the local authority.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 39/84 - Intended outcomes and impacts

Intended outcomes and impacts

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 40/84 - Community cohesion and integration

Community cohesion and integration

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 41/84 - Employment, training and the local econo…

Employment, training and the local economy

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 42/84 - It can be seen from the table that the i…

It can be seen from the table that the intended outcomes of the two groups are quite similar, with key emphases on housing affordability and environmental sustainability outcomes that go beyond what is generally available in market or social housing. Grant funding regimes were seen to provide only a limited form of affordability, and both groups were keen to go beyond this: to deliver models that offer affordability in perpetuity through collective ownership, and to secure lower rents by attracting other forms of subsidy. Potential trade-offs between sustainability standards and affordability were apparent in both projects, and good use was being made of democratic decisionmaking processes to balance these trade-offs in ways that generated group consent for preferred outcomes. Of course, investment in energy efficiencies and renewable technologies may enhance affordability (and negate long term negative impacts of climate change) but this is difficult to factor in at the point of meeting development costs.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 43/84 - management, financial modelling and the …

management, financial modelling and the share issue; `because we are [not]... you know, a group that can hire a bunch of consultants to do the work for us. We have to do it ourselves.. (LGC project informant)

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 44/84 - SCD also valued their independence but h…

SCD also valued their independence but had wanted to develop a different model to the Radical Routes cooperative that several of them had previously been involved in. They recognised that this would require public grants, and the associated greater regulation and accountability through becoming an RP. Moreover, SCD were keen to keep rents at affordable levels or below and to house local people in housing need, so there was a degree of fit between the affordable housing grant regime requirements and core project aims, albeit with affordability in perpetuity and social rents being more important to the group than to the grant regime.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 45/84 - The relationship with local authorities

The relationship with local authorities

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 46/84 - different tenure models...They even offe…

different tenure models...They even offered us some of the grant funding... They did say we could use it to pay a deposit on the land because there was a point where we thought we needed to move very quickly and put the deposit down. So, you know, theyve been very, very generous and very flexible, which has been invaluable. That flexibility actually has been brilliant because projects change and ... when you apply for some money, you know, you think you know what you want to do with it, but actually things evolve and change, and you need to do something else with it. And so being able to redirect money...in a not overly bureaucratic way...because were all doing this in our spare time, is really helpful". (LGC project informant)

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 47/84 - funding through the Affordable Housing P…

funding through the Affordable Housing Programme it became apparent that MHOS model no longer fitted the funding criteria, leaving the project `high and dry. An LGC project informant said, `Its pretty outrageous that the government could do that to volunteer groups who are working in their spare time, trying to do something that the government really should be doing themselves... to leave them high and dry. SCD made similar points about the contribution that they were making as volunteers to `solving the citys housing crisis and a perceived lack of clear support at local authority level for future similar projects. `What Im trying to establish is whether it is rational for the council to sell land at commercial prices given its outgoings and the rising housing list. (SCD project informant). The ending of the HCH programme has added to the gaps already apparent, with the shift from CHF to AHP for Homes England grants making it less likely for innovative projects such as SCD and LGC to develop in the future. Radical alternatives for the future might include social value purchases of land as achieved at LGC by YS and as proposed by the SCD project informant, and the use of prudential borrowing by local authorities to secure low-cost funding for local community-led housing projects, suggested by the RP lead enabler on the SCD project.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 48/84 - 4. Other funding and finance

4. Other funding and finance

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 49/84 - and energy in securing a site for develo…

and energy in securing a site for development. They decided not to bid for the homes being created, instead supporting a BAME organisation to do so, thereby achieving some of the core objectives of the CCF fund.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 50/84 - delays and their start on-site date is u…

delays and their start on-site date is unknown. These delays have generally related to planning application re-submissions and delays, negotiations with local authorities over funding, arranging legal agreements with landowners and/or local authorities, or financing issues. The CLT Fund II and CLH Fund are offering financial support to many more projects discussed above and this is an important point not to miss. Power to Change has played a collaborative role enabling the development of these funds and their support for numerous other CLH projects. A significant proportion of homes developed and planned would not have been viable without CAF Venturesomes investment, and Power to Change funding has been a key factor in making this possible. Nonetheless, what the implementation of the funds has shown is how sensitive they can be to changes in the wider funding landscape and, in particular, to the governments own revenue funding for CLH.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 51/84 - 5. Enabling hubs

5. Enabling hubs

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 52/84 - In Year 3 these patterns broadly continu…

In Year 3 these patterns broadly continued, though 58 per cent of their expenditure had been on staffing, a slight reduction from previous years. A number of hubs were contracting external advisers to support CLH groups, with associated increases in direct costs. What we have seen in year three reflects reduction in staffing within the hubs. As this intensifies with the end of HCH and other grants, this will have had a major bearing on the enabling work they can undertake, and their wider efforts to build relationships and influence local policy.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 53/84 - on deliverables. What is also clear howe…

on deliverables. What is also clear however, is that only a small number of homes have been delivered by hub funded projects, which in early 2022 we estimated at just 25 homes.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 54/84 - revenue and capital grants for CLH group…

revenue and capital grants for CLH groups, but also reduced hub resources and continuing social and economic uncertainty.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 55/84 - what we are seeking to understand is the…

what we are seeking to understand is the additional contribution of the HCH funding above and beyond this. A difference-in-difference model was developed using data on the pipeline of homes being supported by hubs at two points in time (late 2020 and early 2022). We collated data on the pipeline of homes, at these points in time for both the HCH hubs and a selection of hubs receiving no HCH funding. The former is what we call the `treatment group, and the latter is the `non-treatment group. To minimise the effects of other variables it was important to match the treatment and non-treatment hubs as closely as possible. Given the small number of hubs nationally, this matching could not be done using statistical methods (such as propensity score matching) so we manually matched using data on two key variables: the length of time hubs had been providing services, and their geographical remit. The age of the hub was important as younger hubs have generally seen a rapid rise in their pipelines in the first two to three years of operation. Matching new hubs with older ones would have meant any differences in the growth of pipelines could have been explained by this variable rather than the funding. The same goes for variation in the type of area covered by each hub, which is important given the HCH-funded hubs have focused on urban areas. Having identified suitable matches for the HCH hubs, we analysed pipeline data for the two hub groups at the two points in time. What this revealed was that the hubs in the non-treatment group had seen a sizeable increase in their pipelines, which is perhaps not surprising given they had received CHF funding. This tells us that even if the HCH hubs had not received HCH funding we would still expect them to have grown their pipelines. In this counterfactual scenario we estimate that HCH hubs would have grown their pipelines by approximately 270 homes between late 2020 and early 2022. However, the HCH-funded hubs saw a much larger growth in their pipelines than their matching (CHF only) hubs. HCH-funded hubs saw an average increase of over 340 planned homes over the period studied. This enables us to quantify the contribution of the HCH programme to the pipeline of homes that funded hubs are supporting. This we estimate at nearly 160 additional homes over the period studied, displayed graphically in Figure 10.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 56/84 - Figure 10: Difference in difference anal…

Figure 10: Difference in difference analysis of hub pipelines

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 57/84 - Stakeholder relationships

Stakeholder relationships

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 58/84 - appointments were proving mutually benef…

appointments were proving mutually beneficial. CHTV were seen as `good allies and potential for new development partnerships and that the hub leads were `fantastic, [they] always [have] time for you and helpful suggestions (Steering group member, CHTV).

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 59/84 - happen. The key learning point here had …

happen. The key learning point here had been the need to align influencing with current priorities of the target stakeholders, so for instance in the Tees Valley the hub lead commented, `We dont throw housing at councillors but play to what they are interested in � for example, employment and training and neighbourhood plans. This highlights the adaptability of hubs, which was also evident within CLH West, where the hub has actively engaged with communities in urban and rural contexts, as well as with marginalised minority ethnic groups, and with Breaking Ground, where the hub has worked with groups on conventional affordable housing ideas, community-led mooring sites on water, and groups involved in urban regeneration projects.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 60/84 - the advantages of strategic approaches t…

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. Registering new CLH RPs may be part of that strategy, including the registration of hubs themselves as RPs contributing to their own sustainability.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 61/84 - A pool of expert advisers is critical to…

A pool of expert advisers is critical to the ability of hubs to deliver enabling work. The national accredited adviser programme was seen as a helpful development in this regard, as it resulted in hubs having access to a national network of accredited advisers that they could match to specific project needs. One enabler at Breaking Ground described this as a `network of mutual support while others highlighted its importance in helping hubs to access specialist skills that may not be otherwise available in regions where there were a limited number of local advisers. Another hub argued that "being able to train enablers [using funding] has been good, that range of enablers weve brought in to do the accreditation. We had some skillsets that were missing and we wanted to bring some more people in and work with us ... Its about being able to capacity-build the hub and if you create it, you need to fulfil it. Theres no point in creating need and having no way to fulfil it with the right skillsets. (Hub Representative, CLH West).

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 62/84 - overriding concern for hubs was of fundi…

overriding concern for hubs was of funding gaps arising between the end of grant funding and the realisation of development income from homes currently in their pipeline. A hub representative from CLH West said, `Once the funding drops out, those [hub] staff leave and the knowledge leaves, the relationships, the frameworks, the templates and the processes you put in place. All the services that we provide, where does that go?

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 63/84 - This does not necessarily mean that hubs…

This does not necessarily mean that hubs and the projects they are able to support are always able to deliver on ambitious objectives. The hub representative of CHTV commented, `It has been a slower burn than we envisaged - complex projects such as the health village show the problems. You win in one area but fall back in another.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 64/84 - tangible focus on the health and wellbei…

tangible focus on the health and wellbeing of its residents, using group living and peer support for recovering alcoholics. Other hubs, such as in Leeds and Bristol, were also directly involved in projects and initiatives related to climate action that may produce broader wellbeing benefits.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 65/84 - Project E Project F Project G

Project E Project F Project G

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 66/84 - Projects C, D and E all had direct links…

Projects C, D and E all had direct links to core partner organisations within the alliance that forms the basis of the CHTV hub. Projects C and D were the latest in a number of projects developed over many years using the self-help housing model, while the hub chair was also a trustee of Project C, which meant that this project benefited from regular advice, support and information. In Project D, the project organisation lead was a core member of the hub steering group and was more formally recorded as taking the hub enabler role, reflecting the dispersed network-enabling approach adopted by CHTV. The Project D lead had been a core member of CHTV from the outset and is enabling five projects in the CHTV pipeline: two to be managed by his own organisation, two by Wharton Trust, and one much larger health village project with a consortium of third sector organisations in Hartlepool. Interviewees highlighted the benefits in sharing expertise and knowledge with other hub members and connecting with local partners in Hartlepool.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 67/84 - formerly looked-after-children moving on…

formerly looked-after-children moving on from the care system. Reflecting on this the project lead noted, `All of the young people are still with us, which we are very pleased about. The diversity of potential beneficiaries highlights that community-led housing supported by the hubs is targeted at a range of different housing needs and circumstances. One hub-supported project at an early stage described their objectives as, `It not just being a housing project but that actually it could serve young people in the city and enhance and enrich peoples lives in communities where they dont see much diversity.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 68/84 - emphasis on community cohesion by design…

emphasis on community cohesion by designing places in a manner that encourages community interaction and relationship building, rather than participation in the design itself.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 69/84 - 6. The programmes contribution story

6. The programmes contribution story

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 70/84 - processes. Through this, residents have …

processes. Through this, residents have learned, for instance, how to form and manage new CLH organisations and how to navigate planning and housing development processes. The skills and relations being formed are being used as a platform to plan future housing and regeneration projects.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 71/84 - From HCH funding, to improved national i…

From HCH funding, to improved national infrastructure, to increased influence

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 72/84 - From hub promotion, to new enabling serv…

From hub promotion, to new enabling services, to more planned homes

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 73/84 - The training and accreditation programme…

The training and accreditation programme for CLH advisers has been complementary here. While not directly funded by the HCH programme, it has given hubs assurance that the people supporting groups have some of the skills required. Hubs too have generally valued this, acknowledging that they `had some skillsets that were missing. That is not to say hubs have all the expertise and experience needed, as interviews revealed shortages in capacity for those with housing development skills, and national stakeholders stressed the need for continued workforce development.

Homes in Community Hands_Final_0.pdf - page 74/84 - Figure 13: Theory of Change component - …

Figure 13: Theory of Change component - Changes in local conditions for CLH

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important contribution to a new ecosystem for CLH, and these ecosystems are far more advanced than they were just a few years ago. Despite this, the realities of such partnerships and changes in policy and support, can be difficult to handle. Some local authority-led site disposals have been based on `best consideration rather than prioritising social value, and some of the sites offered are far from ideal and difficult to develop. Opportunities for integration of CLH projects within wider new housing developments and harnessing their role in `community building have been few and largely unrealised, even where the conditions existed. Other CLH policy interventions have been overridden by other local authority priorities and policies, and even where positive CLH policies exist they have not always made a difference to the levels of support enjoyed by projects. Clearly, there is some way to go to create the most conducive conditions for CLH in these areas. One major spectre hanging over changes in local conditions is the financial sustainability of hubs themselves. We observed a loss of capacity among hubs in 2022, which is affecting their ability to influence local policies and partnerships, in addition to reducing their capacity to provide advice and support to CLH groups. Our theory of change hypothesised that hubs would develop to such an extent over the course of the programme that they would be sustainable for at least five years after it finished. This is an outcome that looks increasingly unlikely, though several will continue with a reduced level of resource. Perhaps the major contribution of the HCH programme here is in helping hubs to 1) develop organisations capable of enabling CLH locally, 2) build a pipeline of homes which may (or may not) provide opportunities for revenue and capital returns in future years, and 3) strengthen local ecosystems which can change the potential and probability of CLH delivery.

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7. Conclusion: Applying

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7.1. The implications of the research different actors

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� Linked to this, the position and role of CLH in the broader objective of `levelling up is poorly understood and articulated. Whilst the Levelling Up White Paper highlights a desire to support `community-led activity, it does not specifically recognise how community control of housing is a mechanism for `levelling up. Clearly, the research presented here shows the real potential of CLH in helping meet some of the governments levelling up `missions, not least in terms of wellbeing, living standards, housing and pride in place.46 Funders could support the national infrastructure organisations to properly understand and promote the potential of CLH here, so the sector can demonstrate its role in this ongoing policy agenda.

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� The sector is still missing the opportunity to standardise approaches to impact measurement, which would provide the basis for improved influence with the audience above. Some hubs have developed their own approaches, building on a variety of impact measurement tools developed in recent years.47 However, these need further refinement and consolidation and, crucially, wider adoption and standardisation so impact data can be aggregated.

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their development objectives, provide workflow for RP architects and off-site manufacturing factories, help secure long-term revenue through housing management opportunities, while also securing more diffuse community benefits than they might otherwise have achieved.

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� Getting support from partners is likely to rest on them understanding what impact your project will have. It is therefore prudent to predict and assess your impact and to promote this as persuasively as possible. There are existing tools you can use for this, and the exercise need not be labour intensive. General evidence on the value for money of CLH,49 the social value of CLH,50 the cost/benefit of community ownership,51 or specific impacts of CLH on health52 and loneliness53 can also underpin messages about the reasons for supporting CLH.

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Appendix 1: Moderating factors affecting the programme

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Appendix 2: Programme theory of change

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