Action Housing

Action Housing
Name	Action Housing
Type	Nonprofit housing association
Founded	1987
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom
Key people	Jane Smith (Chief Executive)
Services	Social housing, tenancy support, development

Action Housing Action Housing is a nonprofit housing association based in London that provides affordable housing, tenancy support, and community services across the United Kingdom. It operates in urban and suburban areas, engaging with national and local institutions to develop stock, prevent homelessness, and regenerate neighborhoods. Action Housing works alongside municipal authorities, housing regulators, and social enterprises to implement policy, deliver developments, and manage tenancies.

History

Action Housing was established in 1987 amid changes prompted by the Housing Act 1985, Thatcher ministry, and shifts in social policy following the Inner London Education Authority dissolution. Early projects were influenced by partnerships with the Greater London Council, local authorities such as Islington Council and Lambeth London Borough Council, and charitable trusts including the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Shelter (charity). In the 1990s Action Housing expanded during periods shaped by the Community Pride initiative, the aftermath of the 1990s housing market crash, and regulatory reforms such as the Housing Act 1996.

During the 2000s, Action Housing entered development agreements with bodies like the Homes and Communities Agency and collaborated with private developers including Barratt Developments and Taylor Wimpey on mixed-tenure schemes. The aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent austerity measures under the Cameron ministry influenced its shifting strategy toward low-cost homeownership and supported lettings. Notable phases included regeneration work near sites linked to the 2012 Summer Olympics and involvement in pilot programmes initiated by the National Audit Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Mission and Services

Action Housing’s mission emphasizes affordable accommodation, tenancy sustainment, and community resilience, aligning with objectives promoted by organizations such as the Chartered Institute of Housing, Crisis (charity), and Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Core services include social lettings management, supported housing for vulnerable groups in partnership with providers like Mind (charity), and homelessness prevention linked to initiatives from St Mungo's and Shelter (charity). It provides adaptations and accessible housing in coordination with authorities including Transport for London for mobility-linked projects and specialist providers such as Habinteg Housing Association.

Other services encompass regeneration and development, engaging architects and firms like RIBA-affiliated practices, property management with standards informed by the Regulator of Social Housing, and resident engagement inspired by models from Co-operative Housing International and Community Land Trusts. Action Housing has delivered supported living schemes for older people referencing guidance from Age UK and worked on cross-sector pilots promoted by the National Housing Federation.

Organizational Structure and Governance

Action Housing is governed by a board of trustees and independent non-executive directors drawn from sectors represented by institutions such as the Institute of Directors, Royal Town Planning Institute, and the Chartered Institute of Housing. Executive leadership includes a chief executive officer collaborating with heads of development, finance, and housing services; recruitment follows standards advocated by the Nolan Committee and oversight consistent with the Charities Commission where applicable. The organization maintains compliance with regulatory frameworks from the Regulator of Social Housing and reporting standards aligned with the Charity Finance Group.

Subsidiaries and joint ventures have been formed with partners such as Notting Hill Genesis and Peabody Trust for development delivery, and governance structures often mirror models used by housing associations and mutuals like Midland Heart. Resident involvement is structured through tenant panels and advisory boards inspired by practices at London Housing Consortium member organizations and tenant empowerment frameworks promoted by TPAS.

Funding and Partnerships

Action Housing’s funding model combines public grants, capital investment, charitable foundations, and private finance. Sources have included allocations from the Homes England investment programmes, strategic partnerships with financial institutions such as Barclays and NatWest via social investment products, and grant funding from foundations like the Big Lottery Fund and the Tony Blair Institute-funded initiatives. It has used bond finance and pension fund investment channels similar to those accessed by the Housing Finance Corporation.

Partnerships extend to local authorities including Hackney London Borough Council and housing developers such as Lendlease for large-scale regeneration, while service collaborations have involved health partners such as the NHS England and voluntary organizations like Red Cross (British Red Cross). Action Housing has participated in European-era programmes comparable to URBAN II and cross-city networks like the London Councils procurement frameworks.

Impact and Criticism

Impact assessments cite delivery of thousands of affordable homes and support services benchmarked against metrics used by the National Audit Office and outcomes highlighted in reports from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Centre for Cities. Case studies reference regeneration in boroughs served by Southwark London Borough Council and Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council, improved tenancy sustainment similar to pilots run by Crisis (charity), and collaborations reducing rough sleeping comparable to St Mungo's interventions.

Criticism has arisen around redevelopment schemes echoing controversies faced by Grenfell Tower refurbishment discussions, affordability of shared ownership models debated in analyses by the Resolution Foundation and concerns over asset disposal similar to disputes involving Notting Hill Genesis. Stakeholders and campaign groups such as Missing Millions advocates and tenant unions have challenged elements of tenure conversion and transparency in procurement, prompting reviews influenced by investigations like those from the Public Accounts Committee.

Category:Housing associations in the United Kingdom