Housing Plus Staff

PARTNERS:

Mary Kohls, BSc Hons, FCIH

Prior to setting up Housing Plus worked as an independent housing and community care consultant. Previously employed as director of 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.

Based in our West office, specific areas of expertise include housing finance, business planning, planned and cyclical maintenance and whole life costings, housing management, training, tenants’ rights, community care and special needs and housing research including housing market analysis studies and housing needs assessments.

Janet Collins, BA Hons, Dip Ed

Prior to setting up Housing Plus worked as an independent housing and training consultant. Previously employed by Scottish Council for Single Homeless to undertake research on the housing and support needs of single people in the Highlands. Employed throughout the 1980s at senior level by two housing associations and a housing co-operative in Glasgow.

Based in our North office, specific areas of expertise include independent advice, tenant consultation and participation, housing management, organisational reviews, strategy and policy development, training, housing stock transfers, resident surveys, regeneration initiatives, housing needs and homelessness research.

CONSULTANTS & ASSOCIATES:

Joanne Martin, MA Hons

Has worked with Housing Plus since 1999, initially as a graduate trainee and as a consultant since June 2000. Prior to returning to full-time education employed as a support worker and project worker for several voluntary organisations.

Specific areas of expertise include working with tenant groups, preparing and providing information to tenants, interview and survey work, data analysis, community care and special needs.

Brian Burns, BSc, MSc,
Member of Market Research Society.

Has worked as an associate consultant with Housing Plus from the beginning. Also runs his own consultancy (Brian Burns Associates), specialising in feasibility studies, policy and programme evaluation, market research and business planning. Formerly employed as a senior consultant with an Inverness based firm of economic consultants. Prior to this worked as an economist, tourism development/research officer and marketing research manager with the Highlands & Islands Development Board.

Based in Inverness, specific areas of expertise include both housing research and economic development.

Sheelagh Norris, MA Hons

Working as an associate consultant with Housing Plus since 1995, has contributed to a range of Housing Plus projects, particularly those concerned with the assessment of housing management policies and the provision of independent information and advice to tenants on housing stock transfer proposals. Has worked at senior level with housing associations, a housing co-operative, a community development trust and a local authority.

Specific areas of expertise include housing management, tenant consultation, development and review of policies and procedures, best value and preparing and providing information to tenants.

David Jones, FCIH,
Diploma in Housing Management

Has recently joined Housing Plus as an associate consultant, prior to which he was employed as chief executive with a registered social landlord and as acting director and depute director of housing with a local authority. Currently assisting Housing Plus in the development of a local housing strategy for a client in the North of Scotland.

Specific areas of expertise include housing service provision and management, organisational reviews, housing plan and strategy development, business planning, policy and procedure development, housing finance, tenant participation and consultation.

OTHER PERSONNEL

Housing Plus employs a network of research assistants and tenant advisers, all of whom assist in a wide range of projects, including the provision of information and advice to tenants, obtaining feedback from tenants to inform our approach to assignments, conducting resident surveys and analysing data and information during the course of research projects.