New Statesman offers prize for regeneration and renewal social enterprises

The New Statesman magazine has now begun its search for the best in social enterprise from 2009. From start-ups to established companies, from teachers to MPs, the New Statesman Upstarts Awards recognise excellence in social enterprise.

Of particular interest to self help housing projects, the emphasis of the awards this year is  innovative and sustainable initiatives that sustain regeneration and community renewal.

If you know of a community-lead enterprise that has contributed to the advancement of your community, or are involved in one, look at the guidelines and nominate now.

To make a nomination and to learn more visit: www.upstarts.org.uk

Empty flats let for six months to people in need

For the next six months, people in housing need in Brent are being let flats due to be demolished in a joint scheme between Brent Council, Brent Housing Partnership and Brent Community Housing.

Tenants on the Barham Estate have already begun to move out to make way for a £80 million redevelopment. Instead of leaving the empty flat disused before the redevelopment begins, they are being made available for people in short term housing need.

Brent Community Housing works with voluntary organisations that need places for their homeless clients to stay at short notice, often single working people, who cannot afford to rent privately but are willing to stay or move somewhere for a short period of time while they make alternative housing arrangements.

Five flats are occupied already with the sixth person expected to move in to their new short term home soon.

Martin Cheeseman, Director of Housing and Community Care at Brent Council said: “This agreement works really well for everyone – especially the residents of the Barham Park Estate. Rather then leaving flats on the estate vacant, which are expensive to protect and attract anti social behaviour such as graffiti and vandalism as well as squatters, we have arranged for members of Brent Community Housing to move their clients into some of the flats on a short term basis which will provide them with some much needed housing and give both the tenant and BCH sometime to address their housing issue.”

For more details see:

www.bhphousing.co.uk
www.brent.gov.uk
www.bch.coop

Empty shops given new life

The number of empty shops on high streets is growing.  The Meanwhile project sees this as an opportunity rather than a tragedy.  Set up by the Asset Transfer Unit, Meanwhile is promoting the use of empty shops for community purposes.  Looked at in this way, empty shops can become excellent centres for community activities, art exhibitions or other valuable and enriching uses.

The current issue of  New Start magazine is covering this here:

http://www.newstartmag.co.uk/news/article/empty-shops-given-new-lease-of-life-by-meanwhile

Shelter Cymru Empty Homes Project

For those of you who might have missed it,  Shelter Cymru received a Social Housing Management Grant for 2008/09 and 2009/10 to carry out an all Wales project on empty homes.

They are working with local authorities, developers and decision makers to get empty homes back into use.

This is more evidence that self help housing and getting empty properties back into use is the way forward for neighbourhood renewal and affordable housing shortages.

The latest project update can be found here:

http://www.sheltercymru.org.uk/shelter/advice/pdetail.asp?cat=20