HOUSING PLUS

Community Housing Consultants

Housing Plus, community housing consultants, specialise in:

  • housing and housing related research
  • independent advice
  • tenant and resident consultation and participation
  • community engagement

Housing Plus was established as a partnership in 1992. Over the last 16 years we have worked throughout Scotland on numerous, wide-ranging projects. With an office based in Carrbridge, much of our work is based in rural areas in the north of Scotland.

Clients who use our services include:

  • tenant and resident groups
  • registered social landlords
  • local authorities and the Scottish Government
  • voluntary sector organisations

HOUSING PLUS

Services

Projects undertaken by Housing Plus cover the following areas of work:

  • independent advice to tenants on the implications of housing stock transfer
  • housing and homelessness research
  • community care research and housing for particular needs
  • transfers of engagements and amalgamations
  • tenant consultation and participation, community needs assessments and community engagement

Examples of projects undertaken include:
We have provided independent advice to tenants since 1992 on over 30 housing stock transfers, ranging in size from small sheltered housing developments to transfers of over 10,000 houses. Examples include:

  • Glasgow Housing Association – independent advice to tenants on five second stage transfers to locally based registered social landlords (in partnership with ODS Consulting).
  • Margaret Blackwood Housing Association – independent advice to tenants with particular needs on the proposed transfer of rurally based properties to locally based housing associations.
  • Highland Housing and Community Care Trust – independent advice to tenants with particular needs in various locations in Highland on the proposed transfer of their homes to locally based housing associations.
  • Renfrewshire Council – independent advice to tenants on the proposed transfer of their homes to a new registered social landlord.

Housing and Homelessness Research
Projects include:

  • Moray Council and NHS Grampian - Health and homelessness in Moray
  • Argyll and Bute Council – Housing market studies, Lorn and the Inner Isles; Mull and Iona; and Coll and Tiree (in partnership with ODS Consulting)
  • West Highland Housing Association and Argyll and Bute Council – Housing market study, Islay and Jura (in partnership with ODS Consulting)
  • Communities Scotland – Housing and economic impact of the RAF in Moray (in partnership with ODS Consulting)

Community Care Research and Housing for Particular Needs
Projects include:

  • Stirling Council – Community care housing needs assessment
  • Moray Council – Understanding the housing needs of older people
  • Moray Council – Evaluating the provision of information and advice to people with physical and/or sensory disabilities
  • Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar – Care unit service options appraisal (in partnership with ODS Consulting)

Transfers of Engagements and Amalgamations
Projects include:

  • Moray Housing Co-operative – support and advice on transfer of engagements
  • YWCA (Aberdeen) Housing Society – support and advice on transfer of engagements
  • Lorne and the Isles Housing Association and Oban Housing Association – support and advice in the lead up to amalgamation

Tenant Consultation and Participation, Community Needs Assessments and Community Engagement
Examples include:

  • Cairngorms National Park Authority – Our Community … A Way Forward (community needs assessment in three Highland communities)
  • Albyn Housing Society – Tenant participation audit
  • Grampian Housing Association - Count me in customer panel
  • Grampian Housing Association – tenant satisfaction survey
  • Highlands and Islands Equality Forum – online welcome pack for new migrants

HOUSING PLUS

Consultants

Housing Plus has two partners and several associate consultants:

Janet Collins, Partner

Prior to setting up Housing Plus in 1992, Janet worked as an independent housing and training consultant, with commissions from Scottish Homes and housing associations operating in Highland to provide training, support and advice to tenant and resident groups and housing association steering groups. During this period she also carried out a year long research project on rural homelessness for Scottish Council for Single Homeless, followed by a study for the Scottish Office on respite care services across all client groups in Scotland. She was previously employed at senior level for two community based housing associations in Glasgow and as the first Director of Castlemilk East Housing Co-operative.

Specific areas of expertise include housing and homelessness research; housing and support requirements for people with particular needs; community needs assessments and community engagement; independent advice; tenant participation; customer surveys; and policy development.

Mary Kohls, Partner

Prior to setting up Housing Plus, Mary worked as an independent housing and community care consultant. She was previously employed as the first director of Key Housing, a national housing association for people with learning disabilities; at senior level with housing associations in Scotland and England; and with a Scottish local authority housing department.

Now semi-retired Mary continues to work with Housing Plus in an advisory capacity. Her specific areas of expertise include housing finance; business planning; housing management; community care and housing for particular needs; housing market studies; and housing needs assessments.

Laurie Naumann, Associate Consultant

Laurie Naumann has worked as a freelance consultant since 1999 and works with Housing Plus on a regular basis. Prior to this Laurie was Director of Scottish Council for Single Homeless, a position held for almost 20 years, with the exception of a three year period when he was seconded to the Scottish Office Social Work Services Inspectorate as Inspector on voluntary sector issues. He was previously employed as a social worker in Edinburgh. Laurie has a significant record of volunteering experience.

Ann Clark, Associate Consultant

Ann runs her own consultancy (Ann Clark Consulting), in addition to which she occasionally works with Housing Plus, most recently on a community needs assessment for the Cairngorms National Park Authority. Ann has a long history of working with community organisations, as Director of the Tenant Participation Advisory Service, as Director of Highland Community Care Forum and as Head of Policy at Highland Council.

Brian Burns, Associate Consultant

In addition to running his own consultancy (Brian Burns Associates), specialising in feasibility studies; policy and programme evaluation; market research; and business planning, Brian has worked as an associate consultant with Housing Plus over many years. Brian was previously employed as a senior consultant for an Inverness based economic consultancy and as an economist, tourism development/research officer and marketing research manager with the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

HOUSING PLUS

Contact Details

Housing Plus
Dalbuiack Cottage
Carrbridge
Inverness-shire
PH23 3NA

Tel. 01479 841391
Email. janetcollins@housingplus.net