Homes and Communities Agency HCA

NB The Homes and Communities Agency has been replaced by Homes England. See Homes England for more information.

[edit] Introduction

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) described itself as the ‘national housing and regeneration agency for England’.

It was an executive, non-departmental public body (NDPB or Arm's Length Body) sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). It was created in 2008 to take on the investment roles of the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships. On 1 April 2012, it also took on the governance and financial regulation functions of the Tenant Services Authority (TSA).

The statutory objectives of the Homes and Communities Agency were:

• Improving the supply and quality of housing.
• Securing the regeneration or development of land or infrastructure.
• Supporting in other ways the creation, regeneration, development and continued well-being of communities in England.
• Contributing to the achievement of sustainable development and good design.

HCA was also the regulator of social housing in England.

It worked with; local authorities, central government, housing associations, private companies, and the voluntary and community sectors to create new affordable homes, improve existing social housing, regenerate land and create ‘thriving neighbourhoods’. It had a capital investment budget of around £4bn for the period 2012-15.

It was run by a Chief Executive and five area-based and two corporate Executive Directors overseen by a non-executive Board appointed by the Housing Secretary.

[edit] Review

In a written statement on 10 February 2016, Housing and Planning Minister Brandon Lewis announced there would be a review of the future of the HCA which would:

• Examine the continuing need for the HCA.
• Examine the capacity of the HCA to deliver more efficiently and effectively.
• Examine whether corporate governance and management arrangements were sufficiently robust and transparent and ensure that the HCA was operating in line with recognised principles of good corporate governance.

A call for evidence was launched on 4 March 2016, asking:

• Are the purpose and priorities of the HCA clear and correct for the future?
• How effectively does the HCA carry out its functions and how could it do so more effectively to meet future challenges?
• How effectively does the HCA work with customers and partners?
• What skills does the HCA require for the future and does it have these?
• How efficient is the HCA in delivering its objectives and how could it improve?

The Autumn Budget 2017, delivered on 22 November 2017, committed to expanding the Homes and Communities Agency to become Homes England, bringing together money, expertise, planning and compulsory purchase powers, with a remit to facilitate the delivery of new homes, where they are most needed and to deliver a sustained improvement in affordability.

Homes England was launched on 11 January 2018. For more information see: Home England.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Affordable housing.
• Accessible London.
• Autumn Budget 2017.
• Code for sustainable homes.
• Draft London Housing Strategy (blog November 2013).
• GLA Housing Design SPG.
• Housing associations.
• Housing Standards Review.
• London Plan.
• New Communities Partnership.
• Planning authority.
• Social housing.
• Zero carbon homes.

[edit] External references.

• The Homes and Communities Agency.