We are a Registered Social Landlord and registered charity. We provide homes for people with various housing needs and concentrate on those for whom no other housing solution is available.

We aim to make best use of properties, and to create and maintain balanced, sustainable communities through our housing policies. Community lettings are part of our aims to develop and maintain mixed social and economic communities and stable neighbourhoods

Community lettings scheme

The community lettings policy is based on Joseph Rowntree's original vision of creating and maintaining a strong and mixed community in the village of New Earswick. This route to a new home is based on the wishes of residents in New Earswick that special priority should be given to households who are likely to make a real contribution to the life of the community.

A community lettings policy has been successfully running in New Earswick since 1993.

Since 2002 community lettings have been available (subject to nomination agreements with local authorities) throughout all our rented housing.

People interested in registering for a community letting are asked to show their commitment to helping to make their community a better place. They can do this by acting as good neighbours and involving themselves in at least one of the many opportunities for participation in community life.

Community lettings are not available to our current tenants.

Opportunities for involvement and participation include:

New Earswick; helping with the Sleeper Path youth project, joining the New Earswick Community Association (NECA) New Earswick Residents Forum (NERF), helping older disabled residents, helping with summer schemes and community events.

Sleeper Path Youth Project

  • motorbike mechanics, art, craft and environment project for young people between the ages of 13 -19 - New Earswick based.

Summer schemes

  • activities for young people during school holiday periods. Can be volunteering a special skill,art, craft or volunteering time to support sports activities, and excursions. Schemes are available across our estates.

Fun Club

  • New Earswick community run a holiday scheme for primary school children. Help and support in activities including swimming, art, craft, and sport. Also opportunities exist to join the management committee.

Fun days

  • one-off activity days for children and young people in a specific area, or visiting a local park. Help needed supporting activities, volunteers, and play workers.

Playgroup

  • we provide a playgroup in New Earswick. Opportunities exist for residents to provide support to the children and the play workers.

Neighbourhood watch schemes

  • opportunities exist to become involved in, and set up Neighbourhood Watch Schemes. These schemes are viewed as positive methods for addressing issues of community safety.

Resident groups and associations

  • we support developing residents' groups. These groups form a solid method through which we can consult and communicate on housing management issues. We encourage new residents to become involved in strengthening their communities in this way.

Community Association

  • we support New Earswick Community Association which has a responsibility to manage The Folk Hall and develop community activities within the local area

New Earswick Bulletin

you could help in production, distribution, compiling articles,graphics or quizzes or similar


HOTEY

Helping others to enjoy yourself - adult volunteers needed to supervise community activities and events like litter picking, gardening, arts and crafts projects


PEEPS

  • parenting programme for parents of babies and one year olds - adult helpers needed

Specific projects

  • opportunities exist for involvement on special projects, for example:
  • working Groups on: policy review and development; review of services, feedback on particular areas
  • litter projects
  • gardening Scheme
  • composting Project
  • environmental Schemes
  • a llotments
  • opportunities at The Folk Hall- include work in the coffee bar, general support, helping with bar duties and reception and telephone duties.

Those seeking accommodation under the community lettings scheme will recognise that this procedure means they are being given early access to a high quality home without having the priority needed for other lettings. But in return, there is an expectation that those getting a community letting will be valuable citizens and good neighbours.

A maximum of 20% of relets in any 12-month period will be available under this scheme.

In New Earswick in 2004 this amounted to 6 vacancies.

On our other estates you could get involved in a residents group, neighbourhood watch or similar schemes.

The two main priority groups for community lettings are:

Group A - key workers category

  • Economically active households who work in or near the area they are applying for a community letting to live in, who have specific skills which would benefit the community, and
  • who are interested in actively taking part in community affairs, and would not normally be in a position to be offered rented accommodation from us, and who cannot afford to rent in the private sector or buy a house close to their place of work.

Examples of group A include- not exclusive

Workers in key public services such as:

  • Health
  • Schools / education emergency services
  • Key workers from local voluntary organisations

Group B - generations category

Economically or socially active people who have a close family (direct generation) link with the community.


Group B

-the criteria for eligibility on to the generations category are:

  • you must have a close relative, such as parent/ or child already living on a one of our estates, and
  • at least one member of the household must be economically or socially active e.g. be in permanent employment full or part-time (or a full time carer or undertaking voluntary work) , or be a single adult in employment (or a full time carer or undertaking voluntary work) or a retired person seeking single accommodation and
  • you must be actively contributing to the community you currently live in - this means actually contributing and not just using facilities.

You must satisfy all three requirements to be considered for a community letting in the B category

Definition of economically or socially active

  • working either full or part time in permanent employment
  • full time carer for family member (more than 20 hours a week)
  • undertaking voluntary work (more than 16 hours a week)

Independent written supporting confirmation of your contribution must be sent in with your registration. Examples of confirmation include a letter from the group or committee to which you contribute.

During any one quarter priority will be given to registrations from Group A. If there are no registrations from this group, registrations will be selected from Group B.

You may be asked to attend an interview with the lettings committee before being approved under this scheme.

You should be aware that even if your registration meets the criteria for the B category you might still be unsuccessful, because of the limited availability of vacancies for this scheme.