Housing associations across the country have been urged to "get their act together" and get involved with the nine housing market renewal pathfinders in the North and Midlands.
Since the initiative was announced by the government in April, only a handful of associations have agreed a tangible role with the pathfinders and there are fears that the "opportunity of a lifetime" could be missed.

Derek Long represents the Housing Corporation on the government's market restructuring board, which is overseeing the pathfinders. He said: "The way the initiative has gone to date, it has been driven by local authorities. I'd like more housing associations to start getting their act together and get involved.

"Opportunity has knocked and it's time for associations to seize the day." Long said that in

some areas, such as east Lancashire, Oldham and Rochdale, associations had taken the initiative, but that in other areas they "need to get a move on".

He said that although the government had not set a stringent timetable for the pathfinders to take the first step and bid for their share of £26m in government start-up funding, it was expected that this would be "months rather than years".

Jim Battle, head of the National Housing Federation's northern regions, is overseeing the development of the NHF's recently launched housing market renewal network.

He defended his members' commitment: "We're seeking to have housing association involvement on all pathfinder boards.

"We're very keen to engage in this process and are encouraged that the government wants to promote this."

Source

Housing Today