04 April 2003
Social landlords must overcome their poor public image and develop a new profile as independent social businesses, the chair of the National Housing Federation has told housing association managers.
Acknowledging that a 'serious stigma' is attached to homes provided by registered social landlords, Richard McCarthy warned associations they must become more widely appreciated by the public before they could hope to command respect from the government.
'We suffer from a poor public image. Owner-occupiers don't want to live next door to our tenants,' he told the NHF's finance conference at the University of Warwick on March 27.
It was vital for RSLs to be less inward-looking and to publicise their achievements. 'We have this fantastic ability to perpetuate collective failure, even though individually we are achieving a great deal.'
The federation is six months into an initiative to re-brand RSLs as businesses that provide a wide range of neighbourhood services.
Members raised £700,000 through an additional levy to pay brand consultants to advise them on their new image.
The new face of RSLs will be launched at the NHF's annual conference in September, but McCarthy, who is also chief executive of the Peabody Trust, said it was important to move forward immediately.
'Take your eyes off your spreadsheets and think for a moment about the world out there,' he added.
The creation of regional housing boards next year would lead to RSLs competing for funds from a single pot. 'We must be seen as partners of choice and the people that government wants to work with, or we'll be left on the sidelines.'
PFapr2003
