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Grants director at Homes England to retire after 32-year career
Homes England’s director of affordable housing grants is to retire in December after a 32-year career at the government housing agency.
During her time, Homes England said that Jackie Jacob has played a key part in the delivery of hundreds of thousands of homes to help people in temporary or challenging accommodation.
She is credited with stewarding over £20bn in grant funding over the past 15 years and supported more than 90,000 affordable homes since the beginning of 2020 alone.
Ms Jacob was appointed interim executive director of programmes at Homes England, then called the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), in July 2015.
She had worked at the HCA since it launched in 2008, and prior to that she worked in both investment and regulation at the Housing Corporation.
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Her career also included a period with the English regulator in the 1990s. Into the 2000s, she had a number of senior roles helping to deliver major housing projects in the capital.
In the lead-up to devolution in London, Ms Jacob stayed in the region to help support the transition of powers from the HCA to the Greater London Authority.
During the 2008 market downturn, she played a key role in advising government and the sector on possible interventions and helping to deliver the agency’s response to stabilise the housing market.
Ms Jacob has also been involved in the design and management of multiple affordable homes programmes and other grant and loan programmes, including Help to Buy and the Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme.
Recruitment for the new director for affordable housing grant is now under way, the agency confirmed.
Peter Denton, chief executive of Homes England, said: “Jackie’s unsurpassed passion and dedication to the sector has translated into a life-changing impact on countless individuals and families.
“Over many years I have seen first-hand her skill in translating policy and strategy into the human, delivering social justice by providing more homes for more people where they are most needed.
“I am sad she is leaving, but I wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement. What is wonderful is her approach is infectious and she leaves behind an excellent team who share her dedication. We have now commenced the search for the right person to take on Jackie’s mantle, one of the most important roles in housing.”
Ms Jacob said: “After an extremely rewarding and fulfilling career in the affordable housing sector and 32 years at Homes England I am announcing my retirement. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved at Homes England and look forward to seeing the work of the agency in the years ahead.
“I would like to thank my team for their hard work and dedication in providing the tools our partners need to deliver more affordable homes for those who need them, and I have no doubt they will continue their fantastic work. It has been a pleasure and a privilege working with a wide range of talented people from across the sector.”
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