communityled.homes

We support people making homes together through Cohousing, Community Land Trusts, and Housing Co-operatives

Other CLH

Homes in Mind

Homes in Mind aims to provide transitional housing for people with mental health issues before or after they enter institutions.

The concept has been developed by the local mental health charity Mind in Harrow, and empowers people with experience of mental health issues in defining mutually supportive housing. It aims to support people to live a healthier and more active life; promoting independence, inclusion and wellbeing; giving people the support they need to be as independent as they choose. Critically, in enabling people with mental health problems to live independently, the scheme will help prevent mental health deterioration. This will impact on homelessness, reduce the need for step-up supported accommodation and reduce demand for inpatient stays.

Feasibility work has explored the provision of small schemes across various council owned sites, and there is approval to focus on two infill sites. The project is now moving towards a planning application.

How we’re helping
We have worked to define the co-production and community led nature of the project and helped to incorporate a suitable organisational form, which ensures the intended residents are part of the governance of the organisation.
We provided funding and advice to refine the designs, site capacity, and viability modelling with a team of consultants, and are continuing to provide advice to the Homes in Mind board on development and partnership options with potential Registered Providers.

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Endlesham Hall

Endlesham Hall hosts a wide range of activities and events and has been at the heart of community life in this part of Balham since 1936. While it is still a popular venue, the building is rapidly ageing.

Number of homes 9 London Affordable Rent homes
Location Balham
Stage Planning granted 2023

The community membership of the independent church, who own the site, are working on creating a new multipurpose hall that reflects their values and becomes a special place for the community along with 9 affordable rented homes for younger key-workers above.

How we’re helping
We facilitated workshops on housing and governance structures and funded a design and viability study commissioned through an invited community selection process. The architects carried out feasibility work, which helped to secure further funding for a planning application. We have also provided feedback on financial modelling and have encouraged the church community to ask the right questions of prospective partners. Our associate adviser, Andy Redfearn, supported liaison with a Registered Provider, and contributed to the planning application, which was granted in March 2023.

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Fountain Self Build Group

Fountain Self Build Group was established in 2015, by group of Waltham Forest residents in overcrowded households. Their aim is to create a sustainable community of social and genuinely affordable rented homes, meeting the needs of the self-build group.

Inspired by the Headway Self Build project, the group are looking to partner with a housing association who could forward-fund the scheme and build homes to a watertight shell. Members would then self-finish the scheme with last-fix carpentry and decorating and have approached a local college to collaborate with on the training.

How we’re helping
We have provided Adviser sessions about their approach, and explored the possibility of a relationship with Clarion and other partners.

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Otherwise Living

Otherwise Living is a multistakeholder co-operative with a vision for sustainable urban living to create a healthy, self managed neighbourhood, based in Queens Park.

Their vision is of small private living spaces integrated with large and varied community spaces for many purposes with people of different generations and skills living together. This becomes a place for self-determined living bringing together food, learning, homespaces, smallfunds, wellbeing and workspace.

Otherwise Living aims to create a distinct sense of neighbourhood, which is integrated into the surrounding local area, and explores alternatives to consumerism and over-consumption, while expanding the notions of family, education, community and neighbourhood.

How we’re helping
We will be providing advice on a greater focus on the project scope, finances, and deliverability.

 
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