That's the view of a report by the Chartered Institute of Housing. It is set to be a blow to the Federation of Black Housing Organisations, the BME sector's trade body.
John Perry, former policy director of the CIH and now its policy adviser, co-wrote the report, which looks at the future of BME associations.
It will be published on 1 June and will feed into the Housing Corporation review of the specialist sector, which ends this month.
Perry refrained from openly criticising the federation but said: "The problem is that there is not a forum where BME housing associations really feel they can develop a set of opinions for their future and argue for that. We are simply raising the issue.
"There were some suggestions that the Chartered Institute of Housing and the National Housing Federation ought to have a role in developing a new body.
"Speaking for the CIH, we would be happy to be involved if people wanted us to be."
He would not go into details of how a new organisation would be funded and operate, saying that would be up to the sector.
However Anil Singh, chief executive of Bradford-based Manningham Housing Association and a former chairman of the federation, defended the organisation, claiming its main problem was lack of funding.
He said: "The FBHO is weak financially, so you have to expect some limitations, but it has had a lot of support from the National Housing Federation and has a strong record of partnership working.
"There are about 60 BMEs and they are all fairly small, so I don't see how the sub-sector would be able to support another body.
"If the CIH is able to offer resources, then I'm sure the FBHO would welcome that."
The Federation of Black Housing Organisations was not available for comment.
Source
Housing Today
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