Allocation Policy of beneficiaries of the HCA Affordable Homes Grant

Homes England did not have the information requested.

Dear Homes and Communities Agency,

Could you tell me how many local authorities who recently were awarded the HCA Affordable Homes Grant to bring back into use empty buildings, have Allocation Policies wherein the legislated "reasonable preference" category of "homeless" (as defined by Part 7 of the 1996 Housing Act)is not SPECIFICALLY listed (in their Allocation Scheme)?
Please note that this is not the "accepted homeless" by local authorities whom have a duty to house (as these already are accommodated in temporary housing).

And please would you list those local authorities.

Yours faithfully,

Alvin Love

Catherine West,

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Love

Thank you for your recent email, which requested information in pursuance
of the Freedom of Information Act.

 

Please find attached our acknowledgment of receipt of your Request.

 

Kind regards

 

Catherine West

Information Access Officer

Homes and Communities Agency  

Please note: The format of my email address has changed from
@hca.gsx.gov.uk to @hca.gsi.gov.uk. Please remember to update your address
book.

HELP SAVE NATURAL RESOURCES. THINK BEFORE PRINTING THIS EMAIL
Homes and Communities Agency; Central Business Exchange II, 404 - 412
Midsummer Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 2EA (reg.address for legal
documents) 0300 1234 500 [Homes and Communities Agency request email] VAT no: 941 6200
50

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Catherine West,

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Love

 

Thank you for your recent email, which requested information in pursuance
of the Freedom of Information Act.

 

Please find attached our response to your Request.

 

I hope that you find this information helpful, but please do not hesitate
to contact me should you have any further queries or questions.

 

Kind regards

Catherine West

Information Access Officer

Homes and Communities Agency

Please note: The format of my email address has changed from
@hca.gsx.gov.uk to @hca.gsi.gov.uk. Please remember to update your address
book.

HELP SAVE NATURAL RESOURCES. THINK BEFORE PRINTING THIS EMAIL
Homes and Communities Agency; Central Business Exchange II, 404 - 412
Midsummer Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 2EA (reg.address for legal
documents) 0300 1234 500 [Homes and Communities Agency request email] VAT no: 941 6200
50

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Dear Catherine West,
In your reply:
"HCA does not hold any information relating to the allocation policies of these individual local
authorities. As such, we are unable to provide this information to you, and would
recommend that you contact the local authorities directly for clarification of their allocation
policies",

is it the case then, that you don't look into the allocation policy of local authorities, in evaluating their bids for the grant?

Yours sincerely,

Alvin Love

Catherine West,

Dear Mr Love

Thank you for your email.

I have spoken to my colleagues in the Affordable Housing team who have confirmed that we require all bidders to work with local authorities to agree nomination arrangements, but the local authorities' allocation policies are not part of the assessment process for our grant funding.

I hope that this helps clarify.

Kind regards

Catherine West
Information Access Officer
Homes and Communities Agency

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Dear Catherine West,
thank you for your email,
there seems to be a little confusion around it perhaps, though:
In my request I'm speaking of local authorities themselves whom are the bidders (your reply speaks of bidders whom work with the local authorities. Please note that there is a difference between the Affordable Homes Grant and the Empty Homes Grant)).
Could you please answer again with this in mind.
For your information, I'm trying to ascertain whether HCA check out a local authority's allocation policy - perhaps to know if it is fair and lawful, before endorsing the go ahead for gifting them with public funds; in this case the Affordable Homes Grant.

Yours sincerely,

Alvin Love

Catherine West,

Dear Mr Love

We can confirm that we do not check the allocation policies of local authorities who are bidding for funding through the Affordable Homes Programme, including the Empty Homes Programme.

Kind regards

Catherine West
Information Access Officer
Homes and Communities Agency

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