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With funding support from States Housing, the Guernsey Housing Association (GHA) has helped over 100 local households find accommodation in Guernsey in 2016, half through newly built homes and half through existing properties that became available during the year.
Set up in 2002, the Association’s Annual Residents’ Report for 2016/17 reflects on its progress over the last 15 years as it works to meet its aim of providing quality affordable housing for lower income local people.
Starting out with zero homes, the organisation now has a portfolio of just under 800 homes; housing around 2,000 people in social rented, partial ownership and extra care accommodation.
Highlights during 2016 included the official opening of the extra care housing, Le Grand Courtil in St Martins and La Nouvelle Maraitaine in the Vale as their second development phases were completed; they are now home to over 165 residents. Extra care housing was a new venture for the GHA and this accommodation was the first of its kind in Guernsey, giving local people of all ages the ability to live independently but receive support when needed.
A residents’ survey conducted in November 2016 found that 92% were satisfied with the quality of their GHA home and 89% were satisfied with the service they received from the GHA; 78% were satisfied with repairs and maintenance – an area the organisation will work to improve in the future.
This year the GHA board also saw change with Chairman Quentin Spicer stepping down after 15 years’ voluntary service. He will be replaced by Chris Hill.
Chief Executive of the GHA, Steve Williams, said: “We owe a great deal to Quentin for giving up masses of his time to guide the GHA from its humble beginnings to the well-established and stable organisation it is today. We have recently increased the breadth of expertise on our board adding four directors and we look forward to building on our success with them under the leadership of Chris.
“It is pleasing to reflect, not only on our achievements over the last year, but to see how during last 15 years the GHA has in partnership with States Housing helped towards meeting the island’s housing needs and in turn improve the quality of life and living conditions for our residents.”
Later this year the GHA will complete 55 new homes which will be a mix of rented and partial ownership accommodation for families, singles and couples, this is the first new family housing for two years due to limited availability of land and construction time. Looking ahead to 2018 the GHA aims to complete another 50-60 new homes.
In 2016, the GHA received more than £7.1million in rental income, 65% of this income was spent paying off loans raised to fund building new housing, 21% spent on maintenance and 14% on running costs. Any surplus is put towards future major repairs and helps to fund new homes reducing the GHA’s bank borrowings. Due to the hard work of the Housing Management staff rent collection improved from 2015 with 99.4% of rent paid on time.
The GHA are urging prospective residents to get in touch and apply for accommodation if they meet the eligibility criteria.
“Due to an increase in the amount of private rented housing available in recent years, and house prices dropping more people can afford to rent or buy in the private market. Therefore our waiting lists have been reducing over the last year, which is good news. If people apply to us or through Housing we can assess what new accommodation is needed and we will continue to work to meet the needs of the community,” said Mr Williams.
