The Thinkhouse review of housing research: July

It is fairly light touch in its research base, but clear in its messages on where the housing association sector should be in the future.

It is surprisingly challenging to the sector on standards, governance and role, but uses case studies and some great ‘questions and challenges’ sections to allow associations to use it as a tool to think about their future.

I personally also love the drawing on the history of the housing association sector, which will be useful for all new board members and the government alike.

The CIH report, Rethinking Social Housing, has a much more robust and extensive evidence base.

“Rethinking Social Housing demonstrates through research that social housing has a unique and positive part to play.”

Underneath some rather bland headings are some powerful and insightful points and objectives, backed up by both existing and new research.

Rethinking Social Housing focuses on the role of social housing as a product, rather than just the role of the provider.

It demonstrates through research that social housing has a unique and positive part to play in housing people, helping to create thriving, mixed communities and meeting needs that the market will not. It also provides the challenge back to the sector that this is the case when ‘done right’ – and that we don’t always do it right.

Chapter four of the report looks at what the CIH and the sector can do to reclaim social housing as a pillar of the society, but it also makes specific asks of the government on standards, regulations, funding and understanding of the role of social housing. It will be interesting to see if the Social Housing Green Paper responds to these asks.

The third report I have chosen to focus on is Everybody In by Crisis.

This is not born out of the Grenfell Fire, but in response to the 250,000 people in Great Britain who are homeless.

“What reads across all three reports is an understanding that everyone should have an affordable and safe good-quality home.”

At its core is the belief that everyone should have a safe and stable place to live. It demonstrates that with the right momentum, policies and political will, Britain could end homelessness in 10 years.

Unlike the two previous fairly snappy and focused reports, this is an extensive plan with the detail needed to execute it.

It does not try to suit current political favour, but instead provides evidence-based solutions for rough sleeping to get everyone housed and prevent homelessness.

It doesn’t say this will be simple, but provides detailed recommendations on the costs, legal changes, policy changes and practice changes needed across England, Scotland and Wales. Everybody In should be read by governments, local authorities and housing providers.

What reads across all three reports is an understanding that everyone should have an affordable and safe good-quality home.

What is also clear is the end to the recent consensus of not mentioning ‘social housing’, as these reports all champion it.

Gemma Duggan, head of compliance and improvement at Extracare Charitable Trust and editorial panel member, Thinkhouse