The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Delivering housing for people in all walks of life
EXPERT ADVICE
council houses by another name?
No, we’re not and we shouldn’t be.
The emergence of modern housing associations in Scotland can be traced back to the early 1970s when communitybased and communitycontrolled associations in particular were formed to tackle poor housing conditions and help regenerate local areas.
Associations then started to evolve as it became clear they could develop homes to meet a range of particular needs as well as provide for more general needs and operate across a wider geography.
As in Western Europe and other countries further afield, housing associations here have become recognised and respected landlords with a clear social purpose and a modern and different approach.
The role of housing associations accelerated significantly following the introduction of previous
“right to buy” legislation. Since 1979, nearly 500,000 Scottish council homes have been sold and, although right to buy has now largely ended, the legacy impact remains significant.
Not-for-profit housing associations worked hard to help fill the gap, provide a significant share of the solution and deliver quality homes at affordable rents – the definition of “social housing”.
Osprey Housing is one of around 160 associations across Scotland known as Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), meaning we are registered with and our business monitored by the Scottish Housing Regulator.
We are one of four locally based associations with a focus on providing homes specifically across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray, working with local house builders to create high-specification, energy efficient new-builds suitable for a broad range of tenants.
At Osprey – this year marks our 20th anniversary – we own and manage nearly 1,800 properties through Osprey Housing and Osprey Housing Moray, which both have charitable status.
Our homes include general housing, specialist supported accommodation and mid-market tenures.
There is no such thing as a “typical tenant” – ours number single people, families, homeless applicants, those moving for employment, those with specialist needs and older people. We pride ourselves in, as far as possible, delivering personally tailored housing solutions
As a progressive housing association, we are not standing still and we still have work to do. We are aiming to secure funding both private and public to build more affordable homes – we are pivotal in helping deliver key national and local social policies, particularly around community integration, health and social care, tackling poverty and climate change. Osprey is determined to continue responding to the needs of a rapidly transitioning society.
Overall, we are part of a sector committed to using innovation and technology to allow people to access services, live safely and independently at home and provide high-quality homes for the future. the north-east also operate through a “choice-based lettings” scheme which enables prospective tenants to flag up properties they are interested in.
There is eligibility criteria for becoming a tenant which must be met and, priority categories such as homelessness, people living in poor housing conditions, overcrowding, under occupation and medical circumstances are typical of these. Ultimately though, all applications are individually and carefully assessed to determine if an association can help. living one-bedroom flats in Fochabers in the knowledge that support remained available.
Philip said: “It felt like I had moved out of my parents’ house for the first time at 60. It was so exciting – the best thing that could have happened to me.”
Philip and his fellow Osprey residents had been living at a residential home where the accommodation was not ideal and the contractual arrangements were ending.
Moray Council recognised the building was no longer fit for purpose and worked with a service provider, Community Integrated Care, to find an alternative.
Osprey delivered the perfect solution through integration of purpose-built flats into the Castle Avenue development. Philip added: “Moving here has changed my life for the better.”