Why an Irish Housing Association?

Innisfree was first registered as a housing association in 1985. Like many community based associations it grew from the campaigning zeal of a small group of individuals who were driven to do something about the poor health and housing conditions of the local Irish community in Brent. From the management of short-life housing in one borough, Innisfree has grown substantially and now owns over 400 properties mainly in North & West London. Our target of 500 properties in ownership will very soon become a reality.

Damian, one of our supported
tenants, taking part in a
discussion forum

Although Innisfree and its fellow Irish organisations are now accepted members of the wider black and minority ethnic HA movement, it was not always thus. We did not benefit from the early years of the positive action programme introduced by the Housing Corporation and therefore missed the opportunities for support and growth from which many of our colleagues benefited. Another feature of our history which has impacted significantly on our current position is that all our development has occurred since the introduction of mixed funding. This means that, unlike some of the long established associations who received 100% grant funding prior to 1988, we are repaying loans – often at high interest rates – on each and every property. Inevitably, our rents are higher than those of our colleagues.

Despite our size and history, Innisfree has done well. Moreover, we have stuck to our mission and our values, often against the odds. It has been necessary, time and time again, to demonstrate that the Irish community still suffers discrimination and prejudice and to illustrate the extent to which their housing and support needs are ignored. The research report, Still beyond the Pale...? the response of social landlords to the housing and related health needs of London's Irish community, published in July 2001 showed clearly that local authorities and mainstream housing associations were not providing housing for Irish people in proportion to their need. While this remains the case, we believe that there is a continuing role for specialist Irish provision. A more recent report, Future Directions, produced by Geoffrey Randall for us in September 2005 upholds this view.

The "choice-based lettings" regime has had the perverse effect of making it more difficult both for us as providers and for our community. This experience is mirrored by colleagues elsewhere in the BME sector. We are looking at ways in which we continue to target our homes at the Irish community without breaching equality legislation.

Meanwhile, we have no shortage of partners wanting to work with us. We continue to be a “partner of choice” with many of the successful mainstream associations. We have a healthy development pipeline and it is only to be hoped that it will be the Irish community who will benefit from these new homes. Census information at ward level for our key London boroughs (see below) shows just how many Irish people there are within these areas. We will re-double our efforts over the coming years to ensure that the inclusive neighbourhood agenda really is just that.

Innisfree remains committed to its prime purpose which is to address the housing and related needs of the Irish community. Through our work we are helping to combat social exclusion and develop neighbourhood integration. We believe that our efforts will assist not only our clients but also the many public bodies with whom we work, who are bound by new statutory duties:

To eliminate unlawful discrimination;
Promote equality of opportunity; and
Promote good relations between different groups.