How HCLT Could Help You And Your Community With Housing …
HCLT would like to hear from any individual, group or community who might be interested in starting a house-building or renovation project in Herefordshire, suitable for community-led development – especially if you have a site in mind and some useful connection with the landowner.
You want affordable sustainable housing for yourself or someone you know
or
You want to see more affordable sustainable housing in the local area as a matter of principle
or
You’d like to see the national housing crisis improved through developing local Community-Led Housing
or
You’re interested in shaping the local environment and wish to get involved with a lively group
or
You have useful skills or knowledge or time to offer
Principally our focus is on sites in or near Hereford City, but as the foremost CLT in the county we are always happy to hear from others elsewhere and can help with signposting.
We can help with initial investigations into viability and local need, may be able to obtain funding to pay for expert input, and may move on either to adopt the project ourselves or support in other ways.
…. AND HOW YOU COULD HELP HCLT!
HCLT is run on a completely-voluntary basis so is always keen to have any form of support. There’s a range of things you can do….
Make contact….
If you’re not quite sure yet, a first step could be to join our mailing list and/or attend our next meeting, and you could also visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/HerefordCLT and ‘like’ it so that you receive notifications. Or drop us an email with any questions: herefordclt@gmail.com
Become a Member….
If you’re already convinced, for a one-off lifetime membership fee of only £5 you can become a member of HCLT, even if you live outside the city boundary – see our membership form and membership policy [link here to both Forms & Policy Documents]. The membership form can be submitted electronically, by post, or in person. It is important we increase our membership as this demonstrates community support, so even if you do not have time to become actively involved this is still very helpful.
You can then volunteer your time and skills if you wish, in a variety of ways:
Volunteer to help with….
…. Day-to-day tasks
We always need administrative support (eg. keeping membership and other records up to date), help with organizing and running all our events small to large, and with general publicity including social media, leaflets, posters, press releases and suchlike. HCLT mailouts or Facebook posts usually specify what we urgently need at any particular time but it’s even better not to wait for our ask – just drop us an email with your offer, suggestion or request. Even the most modest help is very welcome and with HCLT support you may progress to acquire useful knowledge and / or skills.
…. HCLT Working Teams
A particularly good way to contribute is to join one of our Working Teams, which aim to provide the backbone of HCLT activities. These are semi-autonomous and meet whenever the group decides, setting their own pace and agenda within the overall aims of HCLT, so you can commit only as much as you feel comfortable with. Teams steadily explore their subject area, make recommendations to the Board for policy and actions, and provide HCLT with a growing base of expertise in specific aspects of housing development and of running a CLT. If you already have skills these will be put to good use, and you will also learn from others on the team.
The following are the existing Teams but more will be created whenever need arises so if you see something missing suggest away:
TENURE
Working on options such as Social Rent / Affordable Rent / Intermediate Market Rent and Shared ownership
SALE and FINANCE
working on options for arranging the necessary funds to purchase land and cover other costs, including through cross subsidy from house sales at full market price
SELF-BUILD
working on options whereby prospective occupiers can keep costs down and benefit in other ways by using Self-Build or Self-Finish; a.lso related options such as Tiny Homes
COMMUNITY
exploring ways to bring together and sustain groups and communities involved in CLH, including looking at alternatives such as Co-housing and Co-operatives
SUSTAINABILITY
working on design options and build standards so that housing will be energy-efficient and provide for residents to lead low-carbon lifestyles with high wellbeing; options include LiveWork and GreenSpaces
SITES
working on how to identify and secure a range of suitable development sites
MEDIA & PUBLICITY
(In Development)
Each Team has a Team Leader who co-ordinates. Choose one or more teams you might be interested in, drop us an email with ‘Working Teams’ in the subject line and your contact details, and we will arrange for the Team Leader(s) to get in touch
Join HCLT Board….
If you are prepared to make a significant commitment of time on a regular basis please get in touch to explore joining the HCLT Board. Specific skills are always helpful and sometimes a requirement depending what we are short of at that time, but enthusiasm to get stuck in and regularly contribute towards running the organization and planning its future is just as important. Drop us an email or have a chat at the next meeting, outlining your strengths and interests.
Something else?….
Although we’ve been going a couple of years now we’re still very young and growing. Maybe your way to contribute doesn’t fit any of the above – we’d love to hear your idea for ‘something new / different’.