There are over 2,000 housing associations in England, managing a total of about 1.45 million homes and housing over 3m people. Some were founded centuries ago but many originated in the 1960s. Over the past decade, more RSLs have been formed to manage and develop homes transferred to them by local authorities. Most own fewer than 250 homes. However, the largest 7% of associations (those with over 2,500 homes) own 78% of the sector’s homes.
Larger housing associations, trusts and co-operatives generally have paid staff reporting to a committee or board of management made up of volunteers which has overall responsibility for the organisation’s work. A board might include tenants, representatives from local authorities and community groups, business people and politicians. There are more than 30,000 voluntary board members running housing associations throughout England.
Organisational Purpose
Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) is the technical name for organisations registered with the Housing Corporation to provide social housing, i.e. to provide homes for people who cannot afford suitable, local housing. Most are housing associations, but there are also trusts, co-operatives and companies. They run as businesses but do not trade for profit; any profit is ploughed back to maintain existing homes and help finance the building of new ones.
Most RSLs provide housing and manage temporary accommodation on behalf of local authorities (LAs), and may work together in other ways. For example, the Council may provide land or money to enable a Housing Association Scheme to be built, in return the housing association will take tenants nominated (or chosen) by the Council. These RSLs are eligible to receive a Social Housing Grant from the Housing Corporation.
Common Purpose with LSPs
- RSLs deliver regeneration through partnerships with LAs, developers, landlords and other stakeholders and can play an important part in neighbourhood renewal.
- In some areas RSLs may be well placed to take a lead in Neighbourhood Management or Neighbourhood Warden schemes. They may also promote other initiatives relating to employment and training, anti-social behaviour and crime reduction, healthy living and improved access to public services.
- Some voluntary board members are also on the LSP board.
- RSLs contribute directly to the LSP’s “Decent Homes” targets (see below, Drivers)
- LAs have a duty to develop local housing strategies (overarching documents that review housing-related issues in their area, setting out their housing objectives, priorities for action and an action plan agreed with the local partners). Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) expects these strategies to complement local Community and Neighbourhood Renewal Strategies, and fit within the framework provided by the Regional Housing Strategy.
Drivers
- The Housing Corporation (a public agency reporting to the ODPM) is responsible for the regulation and investment management of RSLs, and the Audit Commission carries out an inspection function.
- RSLs share a responsibility with local authorities for delivering housing targets for deprived areas, and in using lettings policies to create sustainable communities.
- RSLs are important agents in the delivery of the Sustainable Communities Plan and Public Service Agreement targets on tackling disadvantage through reviving the most deprived neighbourhoods, reducing social exclusion and supporting society's most vulnerable groups.
Constraints
- RSLs are not able to make any rental adjustments in order to provide extra income for those operating in regeneration areas as ODPM takes the view that this would imply poorer members of society living in deprived areas should pay higher rents in order to fund their own regeneration. Non-housing activity of RSLs is expected to be funded by other government programmes, and RSLs are actively supported and encouraged to seek such funding.
- Where RSLs contribute to preventative or regeneration activities which maintain the quality of the neighbourhood for tenants and enhance the value of the stock, it remains open to them to use some of their rental income to contribute to these.
More Information
Other things you need to know
- RSLs may also manage temporary accommodation properties on behalf of LAs.
- The Housing Association’s Innovation and Good Practice (IGP) programme is designed to promote relevant government policies through innovative approaches and shared good practice. Priorities for the types of project supported under IGP include Sustainable Communities, Improving Policy & Strategy, and Community Training & Enabling (CTE).
- An RSL differs from an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO). An ALMO is a company set up by a local authority to manage and improve all or part of its housing stock and to separate the day-to-day housing management role from the wider strategic housing role of the LA. The LA retains ownership of the housing.
Find Out More:
“Quality and Choice: A Decent Home for All: The Housing Green Paper":
http://www.communities.gov.uk/archived/publications/housing/qualitychoice2
