Notting Hill Housing Trust

Notting Hill Housing Trust
Founded 1963
Founder Reverend Bruce Kenrick
Type Housing Association
Focus Housing
Location
Area served
London
Key people
 Kate Davies (CEO)
Website www.nottinghillhousing.org.uk

Notting Hill Housing (NHH) is a social enterprise and registered charity providing affordable housing for Londoners. Originally launched in 1963 in Notting Hill, it now manages more than 28,000 homes across London and is a member of the G15 group of London housing associations. As of 2014 NHH has the top-level ratings from the regulator, G1 for governance and V1 for viability.[1]

History

In 1963, Bruce Kenrick moved to Notting Hill and was shocked at the poor quality of housing that people were forced to live in. He began a fundraising drive, with the aim to raise enough money to buy one home to house several homeless families. As Michael White has written: "Its first fundraiser was a stall on the Portobello Road market which raised £24. But Kenrick, a man of charismatic energy, which alternated with bouts of sometimes severe depression, learned quickly. Backed by clerical allies such Donald Mason, Geoffrey Ainger and Ken Bartlett, and concerned local people such as Sidney Miller and Pansy Jeffrey, the Trust's first advert - placed in the Guardian - raised £20,000. It was unprecedented."[2] Notting Hill Housing Trust was born, and in its first year it bought five houses and housed 57 people. Within five years, it became a large presence in west London, housing nearly 1,000 people.[3]

John Coward, who joined the Trust in 1965, was the first employee and then the first Chief Executive.[4] When he started, it had five properties; when he retired 21 years later, it was managing almost 8,000. The Trust raised funds from the public to buy dilapidated properties at auction. By renovating these houses to provide decent, affordable rented housing, it meant that some poor residents were not pushed out of the area.

Over the years it has taken over various smaller housing associations, including three in 2009: Presentation, Croydon Peoples and Pathway, which took its housing stock to 25,000.[5]

Housing associations finance acquisitions and major repairs by borrowing, secured on their housing properties. In 2012 NHH borrowed £250 million by a bond issue at a record low interest rate for the sector of 3.78 per cent.[6]

In 2013 NHH commemorated its 50th anniversary with a series of events and activities which involved former and current staff, residents, supporters and sector colleagues.[7]

On 28 April 2014 an agreement was signed with Southwark Council confirming NHH as the development partner for the regeneration of the Aylesbury estate. The agreement commits the partnership to delivering a master plan for 3,500 new homes; 50% of these will be affordable homes, of which 75% will be for social rent and 25% for shared ownership or equity. A minimum of 30% across all tenures will have three bedrooms or more. Construction of the new homes will start in 2016, with the entire regeneration project expected to be finished in 2032.[8][9]

On 20 July 2017 it was announced that Notting Hill Housing have agreed a merger in principle with Genesis Housing Association[10]. The merger was completed on 4 April 2018 to form Notting Hill Genesis.

References

  1. ↑ , Homes and Communities Agency, 30 April 2014
  2. ↑ Michael White, "The Rev Bruce Kenrick", The Guardian, 19 January 2007.
  3. ↑ "Our history", Notting Hill Housing. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "John Coward - obituary". Daily Telegraph. 28 November 2013.
  5. ↑ Philippa Ward (5 August 2009). "Notting Hill soars in size". Inside Housing. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Gavriel Hollander (13 December 2012). "Notting Hill breaks bond record". Inside Housing. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  7. ↑ http://www.nhh50.com/
  8. ↑ Aylesbury regeneration agreement signed, Notting Hill Housing
  9. ↑ Pete Apps (29 January 2014). "Partner selected for £1.5bn London estate regeneration". Inside Housing. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  10. ↑ Notting Hill Housing and Genesis Housing agree merger in principle, Notting Hill Housing
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