Self-Help Housing

What is Self-Help Housing?

Self-Help Housing is an initiative that encourages community groups to bring empty properties back into use that might either be in limbo or awaiting decisions about its future use. 

Self-help housing groups negotiate with the homeowners of empty properties for their use and go on to arrange the repairs that are necessary to make them habitable. This initiative addresses the needs of people who can’t afford to buy their own house and whose housing needs are such that they are not eligible for a permanent tenancy by their Local Authority or a Housing Association. These groups can include all sorts of people such as single occupants, couples, young people and refugees.

HACT's involvement and the Empty Homes Community Grants Programme

Funding has been made available through the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for a £100m Empty Homes Community Grants Programme. A significant portion, projected between £10m - £30m, will be ring-fenced specifically for community-led housing organisations.

The programme will run from April 2012 until March 2015 and provides an opportunity for community-led organisations to gain the finance needed to access empty housing, either by leasing the properties from their owners or by acquiring them if that's an option.

Tudor Trust are funding HACT and Self-Help Housing.Org to run a capacity building programme aimed at ensuring as many community organisations as possible are able to bid for funding for their projects.

Read more about the capacity building programme.

Further information

For further info contact:
John Coburn, HACT Network Co-ordinator, Tel: 020 7247 7800

Jon Fitzmaurice, Self-Help-Housing.Org Director, Tel: 07939 593 251