We conduct and co-develop research with and for organisations working in housing and community. We also contribute ideas and advice on housing policy.
Just as the people we work with do not live in a world where one challenge can be isolated from the rest, the world of housing has many moving parts, competing priorities and external pressures. At a time when more and more people are being pushed towards eviction, homelessness and vulnerability, it is vital we find solutions, together. We are interested in research that aims to make change and puts the needs of people at the centre of these challenges first. Our most recent project, Resident’s Voice, in collaboration with architecture practice Azuko and Poplar Harca, aims to strengthen resident voices by bringing their experiences to the forefront. Through a series of interviews, meetings and workshops, we captured the experiences of both Poplar Harca residents and housing teams, with the aim of using the insights gathered there to inform new ways of working that support residents in ways they need. We have also facilitated participatory workshops on temporary housing to explore how to improve service design and resident journeys through the temporary housing system.Understanding our context is so important.
We are a member of the London Housing Panel, an initiative by Trust for London and the GLA that brings together community-based housing organisations to advise on the best housing policies for Londoners, including Generation Rent, London Tenants Federation, London Gypsy and Traveller's Forum, Toynbee Hall, and many others.
We also sit on London Housing Panel's working group for Temporary Accommodation, working alongside London Councils’ and Trust for London’s Better TA Initiative.