ScottishArchitecture.com

The first five Second Stage Transfer ballots in Glasgow could go ahead in November following a landmark decision by Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) Board (Friday August 29).

The Board is to ask the Scottish Housing Regulator to grant ‘in-principle’ consent for GHA to ballot tenants in five Local Housing Organisations on whether they wish to see more than 2000 houses transferred from GHA to other landlords.

If consent is granted by the Regulator, the tenant ballots will take place in November 2008 and the houses could transfer as early as March 2009.

GHA Board today approved Business Plans from the five Local Housing Organisations (LHOs) who wish to take ownership of a total of 2097 homes under the process known as Second Stage Transfer (SST).

The five LHOs where tenants will be balloted are:
•    Ardenglen Housing Association LHO – where GHA would transfer ownership of  284 properties to Ardenglen Housing Association
•    Castle Stuart LHO - where GHA would transfer ownership of 529 properties to Cassiltoun Housing Association
•    Crossview LHO - where GHA would transfer ownership of 270 properties (prior to planned demolitions) to Parkhead Housing Association
•    Glasgow West Housing Association (Hyndland) LHO where GHA would transfer ownership of 127 properties to Glasgow West Housing Association, and
•    Shettleston Housing Association LHO - where GHA would transfer ownership of 887 properties to Shettleston Housing Association

A further 31 LHOs who currently manage 20,985 houses on behalf of GHA - are still progressing through the various stages of the SST process.

The Communities Scotland Inspection Report on GHA last September recommended that: “GHA should initiate and lead a fundamental review of its purpose and onward business strategy and that this review should include considering the future of SST. In doing this, it must better understand the views of its tenants and build on the level of engagement they have had in decisions about their homes and communities. It must involve other stakeholders.”

Tenant representatives from the 27 LHOs who are not pursuing Second Stage Transfer are currently working with GHA to determine the future form of GHA itself and how that will deliver the best possible landlord, housing and regeneration services locally for the 46,000 tenants who will remain with GHA long-term.