Housing Corporation News Release

Housing Corporation funding to be made available to Community Land Trusts for the first time

Monday 9 July 2007             Ref 63/07

The Housing Corporation has today confirmed that Community Land Trusts will for the first time be given access to its national investment programme.

In a speech at the National Housing Federation's Development, Regeneration and Maintenance Conference in Warwick, Housing Corporation Director of Investment Richard Hill, said: "In her speech to the LGA Conference last week, Hazel Blears talked about her support for community control of assets. 
 
"We share her commitment to increasing routes towards community control and influence - something that I know a number of housing providers have been in the forefront of pioneering. 
 
"That is why, this funding round, we will - for the first time - be making funding available to Community Land Trusts. CLTs are an approach that is taking off. They aim to make locally controlled affordable homes available in perpetuity by locking in the land value."
 
Communities Secretary, Hazel Blairs  has set out the Government's intention to encourage community asset ownership. She also announced ten pilot projects which have been developed to give local people a chance to examine and decide on how public budgets of up to more than £20 million are spent.

Speaking at the LGA conference  she said: "I've long been an advocate of transferring assets to communities. Not just the odds and ends, but the real jewels in the crown.

"Whether it's a school building, pub or market, community control can bring people together and give them a real sense of pride. Sometimes it can even help them learn new skills, improve the environment, or reinvigorate the local economy. Asset transfer creates active citizens. It builds, not threatens, local democracy."

The Corporation's Full Prospectus which will be launched in  September 2007  will set out how it intends to provide funding to CLTs for the 2008-11 round, and  intention to consult further on new ideas for future rounds. 

A copy of Richard's speech is  available at www.housingcorp.gsx.gov.uk
 
Ends.

Notes to editors:

Press enquiries to: Sandra White on 0207 393 2094.

1. The Housing Corporation is currently working with Salford University to assist local CLTs to develop working models and get going, usually with housing association help.  It aims to set out what is most important in this  important new route towards getting people into homes.  It will provide a framework within which the sustainability of the communities being created is safeguarded by the community itself. 

2. The Housing Corporation is the Government agency responsible for investing in new affordable homes and regulating over 1,500 housing associations across England. Its biggest ever investment programme of £3.9 billion for 2006-08 will fund 84,000 homes; 49,000of these will be for affordable rent, and 35,000 will be for affordable sale through the Government's new Homebuy initiative, helping people to get a foot on the property ladder.

3. The Housing Corporation is working with English Partnerships and Communities and Local Government to establish the proposed new national housing and regeneration agency, Communities England.