Officials explore choice based lettings expansion

Shapps ‘on the case’ in affordable rents row

Grant Shapps has intervened in the stand-off between councils and housing associations over rents which is threatening to derail the £1.8 billion affordable homes programme.

Treasury asks housing sector for help

Ministers are exploring whether the affordable house building programme can be used to boost the flagging economy, as part of an English housing strategy due to be published by Christmas.

Health warning

Freedom fighters

The debate over housing association transparency sheds light on the relationship the sector has with politicians, says Stuart Macdonald

Stand up for tenants

The housing minister is unfairly demonising tenants and his comments must be challenged

A new public right of way?

The government’s latest announcement underpins the trend towards treating housing associations as public bodies. Philip Heath, partner, and Jane Plant, associate, at Weightmans, explain

Tips from the top

A mentoring scheme is helping talented housing professionals break through the glass ceiling. Lydia Stockdale finds out who is benefiting from this process

The power of youth

Last summer’s riots demonstrated how disenfranchised some young people are from their communities. Beena Nadeem meets the teenagers teaching social landlords how to put that right

Q&A: The Ecological Sequestration Trust

Eco-cities guru Peter Head has just left contractor Arup, where he headed an 800-strong global urban planning team, to set up a charity with the ambition to transform planning. Here he explains the thinking behind his latest project

Under the hammer

The old adage that one man’s treasure is another man’s trash is a saying which has paid dividends in auction houses across the world for years.