Leeds Community Homes

Exploring ways to support people from black and minority ethnic communities to be part of the community-led housing sector.

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Why we are funding this project

This research will explore and seek to explain the barriers that people of black and minority ethnic communities face in developing community-led housing in England. There is very little existing research in this area and this will be the first time that these issues have been explained.

Strategic purpose

To support increased demand for community-led housing solutions because they are recognised as a realistic and accessible way of addressing housing need.

Project description

The Nationwide Foundation wants to understand the barriers facing groups led by people from black and minority ethnic communities in developing community-led housing schemes. The aim is to identify the challenges, as well as examples of successful developments led by people from those communities, and to share lessons learned to help break down these barriers across the UK.

The research is partly born out of the systemic issues highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement and the disproportionate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on black and minority ethnic communities.

Researchers have identified evidence that black and minority ethnic communities are discriminated against in house planning, allocation, management and access. They are less likely to own homes, more likely to experience insecurity in the private rented sector, and may be at more risk of eviction and homelessness.

The research aims to:

• Understand and examine the community-led housing sector’s approach to development led by black and minority ethnic communities
• Identify local, regional and national barriers and obstacles for organisations and communities led by black and minority ethnic groups interested in developing community-led housing
• Collect and examine examples of good practice
• Produce a set of recommendations at local, regional and national levels to encourage more community housing led by people from black and minority ethnic communities

Leeds Community Homes

Back to funding 2016–present