Places for People has retained its crown as England’s largest housing association despite failing to make the Housing Corporation’s list of preferred development partners.
North British Housing and New Leaf – the group’s biggest stock-owning and managing arms – together increased their stock by almost 2000 homes in 2004, according to the latest figures from the corporation.
Places for People emerged from corporation supervision in May but was denied a place in the list of 70 preferred landlords (HT 23 July, page 8).
Genesis rose from 11th to eighth place thanks to its stock-owning arms Pathmeads and Paddington Churches. Pathmeads specialises in temporary accommodation, which has become popular with councils that must get families out of bed-and-breakfasts in order to comply with the Homelessness Act.
Peabody Trust dropped two places from 15 to 17.
It also failed to get preferred partner status during a troubled year, which included “amber” lights for financial viability and a critical Audit Commission report. It may have to sell 1100 homes to raise the £212m it needs to meet the decent homes standard (HT 15 October, page 11).
Home Group retained its number two spot. Jon Watson, Home’s director of business strategy, said the landlord was still growing. “In July [after the table was compiled] we took over Copeland’s stock of just under 4000 homes. We are a bit over 50,000 units.”
Source
Housing Today
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