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Our residents are critical to creating a New Era

An ongoing dialogue with residents has been key in deciding the future of the New Era Estate in Hackney, explains Olivia Harris

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Tenant engagement was key at the New Era Estate in Hackney
Tenant engagement was key at the New Era Estate in Hackney
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In today’s IH50, Olivia Harris describes the collaborative approach @dolphinliving is taking towards the rebuild of the New Era Estate in Hackney #ukhousing

Tenant engagement and collaboration are key for @dolphinliving’s New Era Estate in Hackney #ukhousing

In late 2014 the New Era Estate in Hackney came to symbolise the housing crisis engulfing the capital, and how existing communities were fighting back against what they viewed as unaffordable and unjustifiable increases in rents.

Into this battle stepped the celebrity Russell Brand, who supported the residents in a campaign which culminated in a march on Downing Street and the presentation of a petition asking the then-prime minister to save their homes. The plight and determination of the residents captured the public mood and resulted in a significant national and international media response.

The result of the residents’ actions was that the landlord agreed to sell the estate to Dolphin Living, which immediately gave a guarantee to residents that the estate would remain an affordable place for them to live.

Since then the team at Dolphin Living have worked closely with the tenants’ association and residents to understand the estate and the needs of those who live there. As part of our commitment to ensuring that the New Era Estate remained affordable there were no rental increases during the whole of 2015.


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During this time Dolphin Living undertook necessary repairs and started to consult with the tenants’ association over the introduction of a personalised rent policy. This policy came into effect in 2016 and sets rent by reference to household earnings and composition.

Through our one-to-one conversations and engagement with residents we found out that many of them have lived at New Era for years, and several families have multiple generations living on the estate and supporting each other.

To say these are normal neighbours would understate the community spirit on the estate, with a large number of strong long-term friendships, and many residents helping their neighbours with caring responsibilities.

More recently we have been fortunate enough to observe this community spirit again at our resident engagement sessions.

“The team at Dolphin Living has worked closely with the tenants’ association and residents to understand the estate and the needs of those who live there.”

There was a high turnout, with many of those meeting us passing on information to those who could not attend. Residents were clearly pleased to see each other, with many staying for a cuppa and a cake after the formal discussions had ended. This was the latest in a series of group and individual meetings we have had with residents over the past year to discuss the rebuilding of the estate.

It is now a year since we first introduced the possibility of rebuilding the estate to the tenants’ association. At that meeting the residents listened in near stunned silence as we explained that, in response to our condition surveys of the estate and residents’ requests for repairs, we would like them to consider the rebuilding of the estate.

We explained that the estate had not been well maintained for years – not that residents needed to be told this – and that large-scale, costly repairs were needed, which would create significant upheaval for residents.

We explained that even with these repairs residents would still not benefit from the lifts, balconies, gardens and other features that our other homes offered.

The residents’ association was sceptical but agreed to consider the option of rebuilding the estate.

This was the start of our dialogue with residents on the long-term future of the estate and its community. At every step of the way residents have challenged our thinking, ensuring that the needs of the current and future communities remain central to the future of the estate. As well as having views on what they want as individuals, many of those who have spoken with us have showed compassion and concern for their neighbours.

“Despite the supportive, collaborative relationship we have with tenants, we still have obstacles to overcome.”

We have listened to their views and worked with them to allay their concerns. We have reiterated the promises we made to residents back in 2014 – in particular that no one would have to leave the estate because they couldn’t afford the rent. We have now promised that if the estate is rebuilt residents will have to pay no more rent than if we hadn’t rebuilt it.

Residents have provided input into how we will manage the rebuild from a tenant perspective as well as providing invaluable input into the design. If we rebuild the estate it will be for the residents, current and future. This is their life, and consequently residents have thought of many details and ideas that we had not.

And yet, despite the supportive, collaborative relationship we have with tenants, we still have obstacles to overcome. There are other stakeholders besides the residents that we need to work with to achieve the best outcome for all involved. We will have to balance the needs and wishes of these stakeholders with those of the residents, remembering at all times that the future of the residents is intrinsically linked to the future of the estate – and that they will be sure to let us know if we forget that!

Olivia Harris, chief executive, Dolphin Living

Social Housing Green Paper: full coverage

Social Housing Green Paper: full coverage

All our Social Housing Green Paper coverage in one place:

Green paper measures are not enough to create May’s ‘new generation’ of council homes Green paper proposals are welcome but much more is needed to support councils to build, writes John Bibby

Green paper shows ministers now see associations as trusted partners Focusing on the failure of the green paper to address supply misses the point, writes Boris Worrall

Government should focus on building on what is already strong Philippa Jones considers the Social Housing Green Paper through a slightly different lens

We need more than a week of delayed announcements bundled together Jules Birch reflects on the government’s ‘Housing Week’ announcements

The regulator should monitor how associations assist homeless people Government announcements this week are positive, but any enhanced role for the English regulator should include looking at homelessness prevention work, argues David Bogle

The regulator’s role should be limited to dealing with systemic failures Julian Ashby suggests the Housing Ombudsman Service should deal with all complaints

The green paper shows ministers are in listening mode Despite some glaring omissions, the government appears to be in listening mode and it is important the sector takes advantage, argues Emma Maier

A short history of social housing league tables Attempts to create league tables for housing associations are nothing new. Mervyn Jones looks at how they have worked in the past

League tables could prove blunt and counter-productive, sector warns Housing figures criticise government proposals to measure social landlords against performance indicators

Government ‘must decide how proactive regulator should be’ on consumer standards Ministers now face a dilemma over the regulator’s focus, sector figures say

The Green Paper: a golden opportunity missed? Melanie Rees assesses the Social Housing Green Paper against recommendations drawn up by the Chartered Institute of Housing and finds the government comes up short

Longer strategic partnerships and guranteed debt to boost social housebuilding The Social Housing Green Paper outlines key ways of boosting supply

The green paper is remarkable progress but it is still not enough The green paper suggests the government appears to be re-writing much of its policy since 2010, but more needs to be done, writes Jules Birch

Green paper marks a ‘milestone’ on resident involvement The government’s recognition residents need clear information is to be welcomed, now it up to the sector to embrace tenant involvement, writes Paul Hackett

Ministers consider stock transfer programme to community-led associations The stock transfer programme could be revived under proposals in the housing green paper

Access to housing grant could be tied to new league tables Grant could be awarded according to how well landlords meet performance indicators, the paper suggests

Ofsted-style regulation of tenant services proposed The government is considering expanding the Regulator for Social Housing’s remit to intervene over tenant services and give it a more “proactive approach to enforcement”

Government proposes dropping one-for-one Right to Buy replacement commitment A consultation paper published alongside the green paper proposes a broader measurement to replace the one-for-one pledge

A list of recent housing policy U-turns The green paper confirms yet more housing policy U-turns from the government, which has spent the past two years dropping policy ideas developed under the David Cameron government. Here is a rundown of the major changes in policy direction

Sector welcomes green paper but calls for more ‘ambitious investment’ Reaction to the proposals, from the National Housing Federation, Chartered Institute of Housing and more

Morning Briefing: reaction to green paper announcements how the media reported the proposals trailed by the government overnight

Government drops plans to force councils to sell higher-value stock The government drops plans to force councils to sell higher value homes

League tables and ‘sharper teeth’ for regulator in social housing green paper Ministers reveal some of the things in the paper ahead of its publication

Grenfell survivors: green paper does not go far enough survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire have said the measures published in the Social Housing Green Paper do not do enough to rectify issues in the social housing sector

 

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