Changing patterns of housing occupation was a key concern of their reports. And although they focus on Bradford, Oldham and Burnley, the message that the housing sector bears responsibility for the past, and an obligation to the future, applies elsewhere. "The same situation pertains in 30 to 40 other places that had no disturbances, where there's perhaps more danger of complacency," says Andrew Housley, a director of the Commission for Racial Equality.
But with so much of the problem built into the fabric of towns and cities, and the forcible resettling of families an unthinkable option, no one expects communities to achieve a healthier balance in less than 15 to 20 years.
If the target is to be achieved, the first steps in the right direction have to be taken right now. So are things moving in the right direction, and gaining enough momentum?
Asian focus
In all three locations, local authorities and housing associations are working together to encourage greater take-up of social housing in Asian communities. In fact, although the organisations concerned might not agree, the sheer volume of new initiatives aimed at marketing the region's oversupply of social housing to ethnic minority communities proves the region's previous complacency.
In Bradford, the city council and major housing associations have launched Homehunter, an online property search system that has improved accessibility for Asian families, who had previously perceived the housing system as bureaucratic and only for those in dire need. "In the first two cycles [of adverts], 159 Asian families made bids for properties. And we've already doubled the number of Asians in council properties since last summer, from 2% to nearly 5% now," says Geraldine Howley, director of housing.
Flats are being remodelled into the four- and five-bedroom homes preferred by Asian families, and those who move into Bradford council estates will benefit from tenancy support schemes. To reduce the risk – and perceived risk – of racial harassment, a dedicated officer has been appointed to focus on the issue, and more money has been spent on security.
"Since last year, we've started publicising any antisocial behaviour orders. We hope we're sending a message," adds Howley.
Some surprising oversights are now being addressed. Until now, the Bradford & Northern Housing Association, which has stock in both Bradford and Burnley, has not held ward-by-ward statistics on the ethnic mix of its tenants. Equally, Brunel Housing Association, which has 25% BME tenancies among its 2500 stock, has installed a "language line" system, which offers tenants an interpreter. It is also increasing tenant representation among BME communities and is marketing homes via leaflet drops and visits to mosques and community centres rather than newspaper ads.
But in areas where there has been traditional low take-up of social housing among Asian communities – in Oldham, for instance, only 4% of council lettings are within the BME communities that make up 13% of the population – some feel that marketing properties to BME communities without addressing the reasons for their low appeal is putting the cart before the horse.
It isn’t our duty to force BME communities to live in areas they don’t want to
Anil Singh, Manningham HA
Confronting racial problems
Anil Singh, chief executive of Bradford's Manningham HA, a specialist BME housing association, believes racial harassment gets insufficient emphasis. "It's the single biggest issue, and housing agencies must do more to tackle it. The fear of racial harassment on white estates is incredibly strong. Certain areas are completely ruled out."
He is also critical of the way the Asians' traditional housing choices – owner-occupation in inner cities – are being challenged by people who have profitably exercised their own right to housing choice. "If the Home Office is so concerned about segregation, what does it intend to do about white middle-class flight to Harrogate?"
Instead, he feels housing agencies should take their cue from the preferences expressed by Asian communities themselves. "It isn't our duty to force BME communities to live in areas they don't want to. But we want to encourage them into areas they think are safe and they've already taken a step towards. We won't lead, but we will follow."
Manningham aims to do this by taking on "trickle transfer" stock under Bradford's large-scale voluntary stock transfer next year. But Andrew Housley of the CRE urges BME associations to be more geographically adventurous. "BME housing associations do a marvellous job," he says, "and often offer more reliable housing. But they may need to think about wider settlement. It's an issue that needs to be talked through."
Gerard Lemos, partner in social researcher Lemos & Crane, partly agrees with Singh. He feels housing agencies need to tackle fear of racial harassment as much as harassment itself. "There is an element of 'urban legend'. Whether the communities have up-to-date information about problems is less clear."
He continues: "You have to proceed on all fronts. I don't think enough's being done about low values and disrepair. There are good neighbourhood schemes, as in Salford, but no national strategy."
Regeneration balancing act
The three areas all have high-level strategic plans to improve housing stock and create social cohesion spin-offs. Burnley has the proposed Housing Market Renewal Fund, Bradford is in mid-consultation on the wholescale transfer of its 28,000-strong stock, and Oldham hopes that an urban regeneration company can help deliver the rebuilding recommended in the city's Ritchie Report. But there is an awareness that such efforts have as much potential to provoke tensions as heal them if, say, one community is seen to benefit disproportionately.
Manningham is involved in Bradford's transfer, but will pursue a cautious approach to refurbishment. As Singh says: "I wouldn't want Manningham to refurbish in advance of local authority properties, which can cause tension. Where we have partnered in the past, there has been some tension because we've done it to a higher standard. I don't want to arm anyone with the argument that black people are getting special deals."
But the best way to avoid problems is to be aware of them and talk about them. And in Bradford, Burnley and Oldham, housing organisations and other agencies do appear to have spent the last year talking more. According to Stuart Whyte, director of Bradford & Northern HA: "The report has helped us concentrate on multi-agency working. Previously, the council, ourselves, the probation service and the health trusts were all doing things individually. But the reports helped us to realise once and for all that you can't do things by yourselves."
Source
Housing Today
No comments yet