Housing litigation specialist Michael Owen has become a partner of south coast law firm Lester Aldridge. He will set up a unit dedicated to housing associations. He also advises local authorities, private landlords, letting agents and housing charities.
Mary Griffiths
Mary Griffiths, chair of South Staffordshire Housing Association, has been elected to the national council of the National Housing Federation. She has worked in housing for more than 20 years for councils in Ipswich, Suffolk, Colchester and Dudley. For the past 12 years she has been senior lecturer in housing at the University of Central England.
Joanna Pitts
Ability Housing Association has appointed Joanna Pitts as its new chairman. A former occupational therapist, she has an MA in social services planning and has advised local authorities, government departments and charities on the provision of better services for people with disabilities.
Robert Jackson
Affordable housing provider Lovell has appointed Robert Jackson as its partnering manager for the London region. He joins from quantity surveyor Davis Langdon & Everest where he was a consultant.
Job of the week
Adam Penwarden
New job
National agency manager, Stonham Housing Association
Job specification
To manage the agency section. We work with more than 80 agencies on strategies for Supporting People and rent restructuring.
First housing job
Rent assistant and tea boy at Acton Housing Association
Any advice for anyone moving into the sector?
“Always remember that the tenants’ rents pay your wages.”
If you were housing minister, what would you do to improve the housing situation in the UK?
“Restructure the housing finance system so that when people exercise their right to buy the full value of the property is then recycled to provide more social housing.”
Who would you like to interview and what would you ask?
“I would like to ask George W Bush where he gets his brilliant ideas.”
What do you enjoy most about your job?
“The people I work with.”
Tell us something we don’t know
“I once hit Phil DeFreitas, the test cricketer, for a six and a four off successive balls (he was only 10 at the time, but still …)”
Most memorable incident at work?
“Crashing a staff minibus into the development director’s brand new car. In the car park. In front of the development director.”
Strangest thing that has ever happened to you?
“Being mistaken for Cliff Richard.”
What did you want to be when you were a child?
“A train driver.”
Source
Housing Today
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