Right-to-buy sceptic to head up National Housing Federation

The National Housing Federation has announced that David Orr, currently chief executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, will take over as its chief executive on 1 July.

Orr, 49, was chief executive of Newlon Housing Group and coordinator of homelessness charity Centrepoint before he joined the SFHA in 1990.

It is understood that Orr came top of a final shortlist of three candidates.

He has been credited with being a key figure in the campaign to get the Scottish executive to review the right to buy. In 2001, the SFHA, under Orr’s leadership, was successful in its attempt to get the Scottish executive to amend right-to-buy legislation. It removed right to buy from charitable housing association tenants, reduced discounts and lengthened the qualification period on new lettings.

Bob McDougall, chief executive of Lothian-based Melville Housing Association and chair of the SFHA’s general purposes committee, said: “David’s been a leading campaigner against right to buy and made sure the policy is tempered with a greater degree of realism.

“He’s raised housing’s profile with Scottish ministers. Previously housing was a Cinderella service – poorly funded and without its deserved profile. He’s focused the movement and got the sector to act with one voice.”

Richard Clark, the chair of the NHF, said: “David offers us in-depth knowledge of the sector and its institutions. He has operated at the highest level in government and political relations, and has managed a complex and diverse membership organisation.

“We’re facing an increasingly competitive environment with multiple providers and regulators. We need to ensure David brings his own style to the organisation … to review our transactions with government and looks at making us more popular with government.”

Orr said his experience at the SFHA meant he would be well prepared to lead the NHF.

He said: “The SFHA gave me a good start in that I understand the complexities of running a membership organisation.” But he added that he would not be making any “bold statements” about his plans for the NHF.

“From a political context, it will be less frenetic in July and I will be able to get to know the organisation and the members better … It will help me to be a more effective advocate of associations. I’m a great admirer of Jim Coulter and hope to be as effective as he has been.”