New kitchens and bathrooms set for Hackney residents
Thousands of Hackney Homes tenants will benefit from improvements to their homes with the installation of kitchens and bathrooms as a result of a new Council funded programme.
The Hackney Investment Programme (HIP) will replace the Hackney Homes Decent Homes Programme at the end of 2015. The new programme will continue the improvement of the Council’s housing stock and will also include replacement roofs, windows and the rewiring of properties.
Hackney Homes was established in 2006 as an arm’s length management organisation (ALMO) to secure the necessary investment to deliver the Decent Homes Programme. At that time government policy prevented councils from accessing the funding to invest in their housing stock to achieve the ‘Decent Homes’ standard.
There have since been a number of changes to government policies giving greater freedom and flexibility to finance investment in new and existing housing, meaning the ALMO structure is no longer required to secure funding for housing.
To date, as part of the Decent Homes programme Hackney Homes has renewed 7,500 kitchens and bathrooms, replaced roofs and windows, rewired homes and installed new heating systems. By the end of 2015, 16,000 Hackney residents’ homes will have been made ‘decent.’
Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Philip Glanville said: “Over the last few years we have transformed the homes of thousands of residents through the Hackney Homes Decent Homes scheme. The introduction of the Hackney Investment Programme is set to make a difference to the lives of many more tenants across the borough. We will shortly be writing to those included in this new programme to outline what planned works are due to take place.”
Over the last few years we have transformed the homes of thousands of residents through the Hackney Homes Decent Homes scheme. The introduction of the Hackney Investment Programme is set to make a difference to the lives of many more tenants across the borough. We will shortly be writing to those included in this new programme to outline what planned works are due to take place.
Current contracts delivering Decent Homes will terminate this year and new contractors for the HIP will be appointed at the next cabinet meeting on 30 March. These contracts will begin delivering work at the end of 2015.
The programme of works for the HIP was developed in partnership with residents, officers and councillors based on a housing stock review and works will continue until 2024.