We are perplexed that your review of In Business for Neighbourhoods was based on such a flimsy premiss – a survey of just 143 subscribers to your website (17 September, page 26)

We consulted with 6000 stakeholders over two years before launching In Business.

We continue to talk to all 1400 NHF members, and the vast majority have expressed satisfaction with our progress.

The 60 tenants who gave their time to participate in the judging of the inaugural Inbiz Awards were certainly impressed with our achievements so far.

To state, as your editorial did on page 3, that overhauling the image of the sector is a “limited target” demonstrates a failure to understand the nature and the ambition of the challenge we have set for ourselves.

In Business is not a mere rebranding exercise, but a reinvigoration of the social purpose and business focus of housing associations. It aims for a fundamental transformation in the way the sector performs and is perceived.

It is our contribution to social justice, matched by a determination to succeed.

To suggest that In Business has not made an impression on the outside world is incorrect: independent media evaluation has shown a dramatic increase in press coverage for housing associations and their work in the past year.

In addition, 420 members have adopted In Business, not 240 as stated in your article on page 42, and the NHF represents associations in England, not the whole UK.

Jim Coulter, chief executive, National Housing Federation

The editor replies:

Housing Today is in total support of the aims of In Business for Neighbourhoods but, as our survey revealed,
the project has not yet achieved its intended impact. As we reported, the coverage is patchy
.
Some think it is doing its job, but the majority are not so sure. When we described the aims of the project as “limited”, this was in comparison to the objectives of the nascent social housing movement in 1964.

I disagree that the views of 143 housing professionals represents a “flimsy premiss” and would be interested to report the findings of a survey of 1400 people.

However, you are correct to assert that the number of members signed up is 420, not 240 and it is good news that the project has increased media coverage of the sector.

Source

Housing Today