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The co-founder of giant housing association L&Q has passed away at the age of 87.
Gospatric Home, who was crucial to the creation of the now £35bn housing association, died at the weekend after complications following heart surgery.
In October 1963, Mr Home, along with a small group of like-minded individuals, took out an initial investment of £64 to start a housing association with the aim of improving housing conditions and reducing homelessness in London.
The work began alongside the rector for Woolwich, Reverend Nicolas Stacey, to start the association after buying a single property in Woolwich. This was then followed by the conversion of several South East London houses into flats.
After teaming up with small and large building companies, the association then began developing its own homes.
After Rev Stacey persuaded the Greater London Council to loan it 100% of the value of new properties in 1965, the association development sky-rocketed and the association managed 1,230 homes in 1972 and was expanding at the rate of 400 new homes a year.
The original organisation that Mr Home formed was named Quadrant Housing and became L&Q after it merged with London Housing Trust in 1973. Mr Home remained on the board until 2000.
L&Q owns a total of 100,000 homes predominantly in London and the South East and plans to build a further 100,000 over the next 10 years.
Writing for Inside Housing today, L&Q chief executive David Montague said: “Gos was a remarkable man, and throughout my 32 years at L&Q he has been my inspiration.
“Everyone who joins L&Q is told the story of how Gos and a small group of like-minded people got together in October 1963 with a determination to tackle homelessness and poor housing conditions.”
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