The Thinkhouse review: learning from housing models in other countries

And many European towns and cities start grappling with that question from a much more informed and unanimous baseline. On the basic question of “how much social housing is needed?”, many have small but dedicated teams gathering, analysing and modelling intelligence on population change with impressive levels of depth and accuracy.

This is the result of a prevailing attitude that every citizen has a right to good-quality housing whatever their income levels, and that social housing is a community asset in which to invest and to retain – hence why many of my European colleagues cannot compute the UK concept of ‘Right to Buy’.

Two good examples are Vienna in Austria and Nantes in France, both of which are already delivering the additional housing (social and private), transportation infrastructure, schools health facilities and more that will be needed ‘in a decade’s time’.

In Nantes, the same futurist teams are actively involved in the management of social housing stock, too. This ensures that all new housing development is occupied within the first month of completion, and that voids in existing stock are minimal (with Nantes achieving an impressive average of less than two days) – hence maximising social housing revenues and capital receipts.

The intelligence also avoiding ‘over burdening’ access points for some public services, for example local schools or older-age facilities.

“Vienna’s ‘Mietermitbestimmungsstatut’ (tenant’s participation statute) could provide a useful role model for the establishment of a new tenant participation models”

In fact Nantes is so comfortable with its competence in understanding and providing for future housing needs that it is actively pursuing faster and greater population growth, both indigenous and inward.

Luckily for those with less exposure to practice outside of the UK, February also sees the publication of another report commissioned by Shelter, Learning from International examples of affordable housing.

Intended for internal use by its 16 commissioners for ‘The Big Conversation’ on the future of social housing in England, I would suggest this would be a worthwhile read for all policymakers, practitioners and community stakeholders active in the UK housing scene.

While recognising the structural differences between the UK and each other individual country in the report (mostly European), it does highlight some potential solutions that can be adapted and used within the UK, including some of the key recommendations of the Shelter’s Building our Future. For example, Vienna’s ‘Mietermitbestimmungsstatut’ (tenant’s participation statute) could provide a useful role model for the establishment of a new tenant participation models.

Translation of the Scandinavian models of co-operatives could provide a politically acceptable solution to what in the UK is largely a binary – and, as the Shelter report highlights, socially judged – choice between renting or owner-occupation.

Public-private special purpose vehicle models from Bilbao and Montpellier are among the most effective and efficient in Europe in creating maximum leverage and benefit from public sector assets in true partnerships with private developers and contractors.

“Translation of the Scandinavian models of cooperatives could provide a politically acceptable solution to what in the UK is largely a binary choice between renting or owner-occupation”

But this report is one of many capturing the valuable experience in housing from around the world. With UK homelessness rates among the highest in Europe – in fact it’s only surpassed by some countries formed from the break-up of the former Yugoslavian state still struggling with ethnic tensions and associated displacement and translocation – and some of the lowest satisfaction rates among homeowners, it seems increasingly surprising to me – given the consequential impacts upon NHS-borne health costs, well-being, economic engagement and productivity – that there isn’t a more open embrace at a national policy level to learning from other countries who are clearly doing things better than the UK.

Kerri Farnsworth, consultant and Thinkhouse editorial panel member