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Housing Associations

Housing Association Contacts

The two main housing associations with accommodation in Bro Ddyfi are:

Mid-Wales Housing Association
Bryn Aderyn
The Bank
Newtown
Powys
SY16 2AB
Tel: 01686 627476
Email:post@mid-walesha.co.uk
www.mid-walesha.co.uk

Types of Housing:

  • General Needs
  • Sheltered Accommodation for the Elderly
  • Special Needs Bedspaces
  • Low Cost Home Ownership, e.g. Homebuy


Cymdeithas Tai Cantref
Brynderwen
Castell Newydd Emlyn
SA38 9NX
Tel: 01239 710724/711374
Email:swyddfa@cantref.co.uk

Types of Housing:

  • General Needs
  • Sheltered Accommodation for the Elderly
  • Special Needs Bedspaces
  • Low Cost Home Ownership, e.g. Homebuy


The Powys County Council website has a contact list of all of the housing associations that operate in Powys.


Homebuy Scheme
The Welsh Assembly Government's Homebuy scheme can help people who are unable to meet their housing needs in the market to buy a suitable home.

Both Cantref and Mid Wales HA operate the Homebuy scheme whereby an applicant funds 50-70% of the purchase price of a property and the housing association pays the remainder with a Homebuy grant.

The grant is, in effect, an interest free loan but when the property is sold the same percentage is repaid to the housing association - it could be more or less than the original amount.

The funding for Homebuy is very limited and the current housing affordability crisis means that there is a big demand for the Homebuy scheme. Housing associations can only help very limited numbers of applicants (in 2007/08 Mid Wales HA was only able to help 4 families).

More information, a guide for applicants: http://new.wales.gov.uk/desh/publications/housing/homebuyguide/guidee?lang=en

Or contact the housing associations directly.

WAG published a review of Homebuy in 2007.


Social Housing Grant
Social Housing Grant (SHG) is a capital grant made available by the Assembly Government to Registered Social Landlords (normally housing associations) to provide new affordable housing for rent or low cost home ownership.

SHG is for housing schemes that meet local needs and priorities as identified by local authorities. Since the 1980s nearly all new social housing has been provided by RSLs, one of the main reasons being that RSLs can raise private finance to contribute towards the cost of new schemes.

SHG can be used to provide either housing for rent or low cost home ownership through new build developments or through the use of existing dwellings. 


Collaborative Projects - Communities and Housing Associations
SHG is a useful and effective support mechanism for the development of new affordable housing but it cannot offer a complete solution.

Innovative financial solutions, including those based on private capital can be considered for funding new developments.

Housing associations are generally open to collaborative ventures with local communities and they are optimistic about the possibilities of new financial/legal mechanisms for new affordable housing developments.

However, a housing association's resources are limited and they are often unable to put in the time necessary to bring complete new projects to fruition.

This is where local community involvement can be crucial - for example in finding suitable plots of land and discussing planning permission with the Council.

See the Guide to Developing Affordable Housing Schemes section for more information.