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'''Poplar HARCA''' (Housing and Regeneration Community Association) is a [[housing association]] in the [[East End of London]], England. It is the landlord of about 8,500 homes in the [[Poplar, London|Poplar]] area, a quarter of which have been sold [[leasehold]]; the remainder are let on [[Assured tenancy|assured tenancies]] at subsidised rent levels.
'''Poplar HARCA''' (Housing and Regeneration Community Association) is a [[housing association]] in the [[East End of London]], England. It is the landlord of about 8,500 homes in the [[Poplar, London|Poplar]] area, a quarter of which have been sold [[leasehold]]; the remainder are let on [[Assured tenancy|assured tenancies]] at subsidised rent levels.


The association focuses on [[Community development|community regeneration]] as part of its core mission, with a [[Community centre|Neighbourhood Centre]] on each estate. It is the official provider of youth work activities in Poplar,<ref>[http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/601-650/629_volunteering_youth_proje.aspx Volunteering: youth projects], Tower Hamlets website. Retrieved 25 Nov 2009.</ref> and offers advice and support on benefits and job seeking, running courses such as Basic Skills, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Information Technology and customised training courses.<ref>[http://www.beacons.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=9443344 Tower Hamlets case study], [[Beacon Council|Beacon Scheme]] website, 4 Mar 2009. Retrieved 25 Nov 2009.</ref>
The association focuses on [[Community development|community regeneration]] as part of its core mission, with a [[Community centre|Neighbourhood Centre]] on each estate. It is the official provider of youth work activities in Poplar,<ref>[http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/601-650/629_volunteering_youth_proje.aspx Volunteering: youth projects], Tower Hamlets website. Retrieved 25 Nov 2009.</ref> and offers advice and support on benefits and job seeking, running courses such as Basic Skills, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Information Technology and customised training courses.<ref>[http://www.beacons.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=9443344 Tower Hamlets case study], [[Beacon Council|Beacon Scheme]] website, 4 Mar 2009. Retrieved 25 Nov 2009.</ref>


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 16:06, 15 November 2013

Poplar HARCA
Company typeCompany, charity, housing association
IndustrySocial housing
FoundedLondon (1996 (1996))
FounderSteve Stride
Headquarters
London
,
England
Area served
Poplar
ServicesHousing, community regeneration
£39 million (2011)
£9.3 million (2011)
Total assets£183 million (2011)
Number of employees
284 FTE (2011)
Websitepoplarharca.co.uk
Footnotes / references
Source: Statutory accounts
Broomfield Street on the Lansbury Estate in 2007, after regeneration by Poplar HARCA

Poplar HARCA (Housing and Regeneration Community Association) is a housing association in the East End of London, England. It is the landlord of about 8,500 homes in the Poplar area, a quarter of which have been sold leasehold; the remainder are let on assured tenancies at subsidised rent levels.

The association focuses on community regeneration as part of its core mission, with a Neighbourhood Centre on each estate. It is the official provider of youth work activities in Poplar,[1] and offers advice and support on benefits and job seeking, running courses such as Basic Skills, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Information Technology and customised training courses.[2]

History

Poplar HARCA was set up by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to regenerate the area, especially certain Council estates whose residents voted to transfer to the new body. Parts of seven estates (about 4,500 homes) transferred to Poplar HARCA in 1998. The following year, tenants on further estates voted to remain with the Council. However, after a lengthy consultation of all Council estates in Tower Hamlets begun in 2002, several more estates in Poplar did transfer between 2005 and 2007. The final ballots were on several estates in East India ward, with a 78% majority in favour of transfer in 2006,[3] including the iconic Balfron Tower; and Coventry Cross Estate with 65% in 2007.[4]

Reshaping Poplar

The association recognises that some 2,000 of its homes do not meet modern living standards.[5] Its "Reshaping Poplar" agenda is a twelve-year plan to update, improve and replace this housing, developing hundreds of new homes, alongside parks, health and education facilities.[6][7] John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, met residents to discuss the plans in September 2009.[8]

In 2012 Poplar HARCA and Willmott Dixon obtained planning permission for a joint redevelopment of the Aberfeldy Estate. The plans include 1,100 new homes and improved amenities to be provided over 12 years.[9]

Management

The constitution allows for twelve board members including seven resident directors (tenants or leaseholders), one local councillor and up to four independent members. There are a further three "Focus Boards" overseeing "Places", "Services" and Finance & Audit within the organisation. As of July 2012, the Chair of the main Poplar Board is Bernadette Conroy, and the Vice-Chair is Rev. James Olanipekun, a resident.[10]

Poplar HARCA has also formally incorporated youth empowerment into its management structure. Its Youth Empowerment Board is formally represented in the governance of the association.[11]

The Chief Executive is Steve Stride.[12]

The Audit Commission's last inspection in 2007 awarded Poplar HARCA two stars out of three, with "promising prospects for improvement".[13]

Poplar Harca also work on parternships with others associations, like Acknowledging Youths, which are helping the Tower Hamlets residents to find new jobs or start a music and educational projects that will help develop and improve their physical, mental, emotional, social and educational wellbeing...

Awards

  • Poplar HARCA won the ASB ActionNet Award 2011,[14] for innovative legal action to deal with "neighbours from hell".[15][16]
  • It also won The Guardian's Public Services Award 2009 in the Housing and Regeneration category, for its Family Intervention Project.[12]
  • Poplar HARCA's chair from 2002 to 2009, Christine Searle MBE, was named one of the 25 most influential people in social housing by Inside Housing magazine in March 2009.[19] She was one of the founder resident directors of Poplar HARCA, and her MBE was awarded in June 2004 in recognition of her community work.[20]
  • In partnership with Lincoln Area Regeneration Group, 2006 Green Pennant awarded for Chiltern Green[23]
  • In partnership with Lincoln Area Regeneration Group, Highly Commended in Chartered Institute of Housing 2004 UK Housing Award for Best Led Community Initiative - Chiltern Green[24]
  • 2001 Commendation for Best in Community Regeneration - BURA Charitable Trust[25]
  • In partnership with Countryside plc, Burdett Estate renewal was voted Best Partnership Development in the 2001 What House? Awards[26]

References

  1. ^ Volunteering: youth projects, Tower Hamlets website. Retrieved 25 Nov 2009.
  2. ^ Tower Hamlets case study, Beacon Scheme website, 4 Mar 2009. Retrieved 25 Nov 2009.
  3. ^ "Better quality of life", Tower Hamlets Council website, 18 Dec 2007. Retrieved 21 Jan 2008.
  4. ^ "Coventry Cross Estate vote in favour to transfer to Poplar HARCA", Tower Hamlets website, 14 Dec 2007. Retrieved 21 Jan 2008.
  5. ^ Poplar HARCA: feel the empowerment, Housing Corporation website, 2007
  6. ^ Casey Fierro Architects, 2008. Reshaping Poplar plan is on page 15.
  7. ^ Reshaping Poplar Implementation Framework, Leaside Regeneration, 2009.
  8. ^ Denham sees Poplar HARCA’s plans for the area, London Housing News, 14 Sep 2009
  9. ^ Gavriel Hollander, East London regen project given green light, Inside Housing, 13 July 2012
  10. ^ Board members on Poplar HARCA website
  11. ^ ‘We don’t really do it like that, dear’, Inside Housing, 27 Nov 2009
  12. ^ a b We are family: Poplar's Family Intervention Project is giving minor offenders a chance to get back on track, The Guardian, 25 Nov 2009
  13. ^ Inspection report by the Audit Commission. Retrieved 12 Oct 2009.
  14. ^ The ASBActionNet Awards 2011, Lemos & Crane.
  15. ^ ASB ActionNet Award shortlist. Lemos & Crane.
  16. ^ Tenants evicted for bad behaviour, BBC, 30 September 2009
  17. ^ Poplar HARCA Win housing heroes award, CIH, 14 May 2010
  18. ^ New Year honours list: MBEs, The Guardian, 31 Dec 2008
  19. ^ Hall of fame, Inside Housing, 27 Mar 2009
  20. ^ 'Residents will not tolerate this', profile of Christine Searle in "Housing Horizons", The Guardian, 10 Feb 2009
  21. ^ 2007 Gold Awards on Housing Corporation website
  22. ^ 2006 Awards on NHF website
  23. ^ 2006 Green Pennant, Countryside.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 Oct 2007.
  24. ^ 2004 Winners on CIH website. Retrieved 8 Oct 2008.
  25. ^ BURA 2001 winners, sponsored by English Partnerships
  26. ^ Countryside PLC wins award for Burdett Estate
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