Social Housing Partnerships

Business can play an active role in community investment by forming strategic partnerships with social housing. Tackling affordable housing issues such as a lack of accommodation, poor and inadequate housing, and neighbourhood deprivation has a wide and varied impact on society. Improvements and progress in this area translate to improved educational achievement, increased employment opportunities, reduced crime, and a healthy and more inclusive community.

I firmly believe that there is far more business can do to support housing association tenants and it is only through such partnerships that we will be able to help some of the most vulnerable groups in society.

Throughout the UK, there are pockets of economic deprivation evident in poor levels and quality of social housing. Housing that is 'non decent' has direct relation to high levels of poverty rates and widespread unemployment.

Without intervention and support the cycle of economic decline is hard to break, and will continue to impact on skill levels, sickness-related absence from work and crime levels in the community. 

To address these issues, Business in the Community is championing research, pilot projects and debate on developing partnerships between businesses and the social housing sector.

Business in the Community's initiatives include:

• Published research into businesses and social landlords working together to improve, educate, empower and support communities. 
• A breakfast debate on 'Social housing and community development: The future' discussed how social housing providers and facilities management companies can engage most effectively for their local communities.
• Two pilot projects that are currently underway in Birmingham and Bristol to develop multi-business partnerships with housing associations to support employability and routes into work for residents.