Community led housing

Community led housing (CLH) is an umbrella term for housing that is owned or managed by the community in a not for profit basis. The term encompasses the models given below.

These models are set up by ordinary people who have an ambition to meet the housing needs of their Parish. At the heart of these models are the principles of affordability, sustainability and democracy.

Community led housing has two main benefits. Firstly, they can deliver housing that is in keeping with household budgets both for rent or home ownership, through the use of innovative financial models and covenants, housing costs can be protected for future residents. The second benefit is that Cooperative and Community Land Trusts can prevent homes being sold on the open market and are 'Right to Buy' exempt.

Further details of how these models can provide homes that are affordable can be found by clicking the logos below.

► Presentations from workshops [2.15MB]

► Community led housing resources

►   Find out about new grants for community led housing schemes

► Community led housing fund report

► Community Led Homes - a new resource [140.3KB]

Community land trusts

This model separates the value of land from the assets built on top. It can be delivered by ordinary people who live or work in a specific area. The main principles of this model are democratic decision making, stewardship of the land and affordability.

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Development trusts

Development Trusts are flexible organisations that own and manage land and assets in a partnership with other organisations and companies such as public and private bodies as well as companies from the voluntary sector. Development Trusts can be not for profit focusing on democratic decision making and affordability.

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Co-operative and mutual housing societies

Co-operative housing societies are non for profit organisations that seek to meet the needs of the residents. The main principles of this model is democratic decision making and affordability.

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Cohousing

The cohousing model is an intentional community bringing together like minded people or specific social groups like women or ex-service personnel. The main principles of this model is democratic decision making, affordability and sustainability.

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Community Self-build Agency

The main role of this agency is to bring individual prospective self-builders together to form a community group to jointly meet their housing need for rented homes. The main principles behind this model is affordability and sustainability.

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Self-help housing

Self-help housing schemes seek to renovate empty properties through the labour of volunteers and young people at risk of exclusion or homelessness. The main principles behind this model are affordability and sustainability.

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Self-build

Self-build and custom house building is a flexible model that can enable average households to meet their own housing needs. This model can deliver housing at a price cheaper than market homes for individuals or groups.

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Tenant management organisations

This model supports tenant management companies who have taken over the management of their local housing stock. The main principles behind this model is democratic decision making and affordability.

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Community gateway associations

A Community Gateway Association is a tenant led organisation that owns and manages housing stock transferred via local authority stock transfer. It is a non for profit organisation that is managed and influenced by the tenants who live in the homes. The central principle of this model is democracy.

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