Delivering Equity Loans for Renewal in StokeonTrent

1
Delivering Equity Loans for Renewal in
Stoke-on-Trent

• Ellie Taylor
• Policy and Strategy Officer
• Housing Enabling Team

2
A Profile of Private Sector Housing in
Stoke-on-Trent

• Population 240,000
• Housing Market Pathfinder Area Renew, North
  Staffordshire
• Housing stock consists of in excess of 108,000
  dwellings of which 91100 are in the private
  sector
• Owner Occupied 82.1 (74749 dwellings)
• Privately Rented 9.2 (8370 dwellings)
• RSL 5.3 (4871 dwellings)
• Tenure unobtainable 3.4 (3110 dwellings)
• 13930 vulnerable homeowners repair costs
  estimated at 95.016m

3
Key Features of the Stoke-on-Trent Kick Start
Project

• The scheme is delivered in partnership with other
  agencies with the City Council responsible for
  overall programme management. Staffordshire
  Housing Association Home Improvement Agency (HIA)
  employed as delivery agent. ART Homes Limited
  are loans provider
• The project adopts a flexible approach to owners
  wishes with the emphasis on achieving the Decent
  Homes Standard

4
The Scale of the Loans Programme in Stoke-on-Trent

• Breakdown of Delivery costs by year

5
The Role of Staffordshire Housing Association
(HIA) as Delivery Agent

• Team of 1 Project Manager, 1 Administration
  Assistant and 2 x Technical Officers appointed
  September 2005 to deliver a range of services
  including
• Generation of enquiries through generic marketing
  
• Assessment of applicants eligibility criteria
• Technical visits and assessment of essential
  works
• Survey and technical advice to homeowners
• Development of essential and desirable works
  schedule
• Costing works schedule
• Data collection and monitoring, and report back
  to Council
• Production of detailed schedule of repairs in
  report format
• Referring eligible applicants to Art Homes and
  liaison
• Obtaining quotations from approved contractors
  and managing works on site.
• Quality checks and inspections
• Payment of contractors
• Support to homeowners during the process.
• Development of schedule of rates

6
The Role of the Local Authority in Managing
Delivery

• Establish eligibility criteria for homeowners who
  are able to access the Scheme
• Establish eligibility criteria for the scope and
  type of repair works that can be undertaken on a
  homeowners property
• Establish policy documents to develop criteria to
  implement the Scheme
• Establish clear guidance on the loans to be
  offered
• Establish a discretionary panel to determine
  eligibility for homeowners who do not meet the
  policy criteria and to deal with unforeseen
  circumstances of individuals
• Work with Staffordshire HA in order to provide a
  smooth work flow for the Scheme

7
Advantages of using a Home Improvement Agency
Delivery Agent to deliver the Loans Programme

• Economies of scale achieved as all renewal and
  relocation loans delivered under the brand of
  Home Options and Kickstart.
• Additional signposting and advice provided
• Benefits of a case worker approach
• Flexible Approach of HIA to deliver Marketing and
  promotion effectively

8
Challenges to the Programme

• A clear strategy is imperative in moving from the
  current position for an authority to the target
  position
• A robust policy framework must reflect customer
  needs and expectations
• The programme will require a flexible approach
  and policy decisions must reflect this
• The culture change of introducing loans should
  not be underestimated and requires effective
  leadership.
• Introducing the service and subsequent changes
  requires lengthy lead in times
• Take-up rates will be substantially lower than a
  traditional grants programme and marketing is
  crucial
• HIA will require close management and support
• Delivery is expensive!
• Ongoing staffing issues around recruitment of
  Technical Officers

9
Moving Forward

• Expanding the HIA three year Business Plan
• Development of HIA to deliver new products
• HIA as Sub-Regional Delivery Agents

10
Workshop 1

• From your own experiences and from the
  information provided by our speakers can you, as
  a group, contrast the two models of delivery and
  construct a process map illustrating a set of
  operating arrangements that draws best practice
  from each model