We know that building strong communities is as important as providing a safe and secure home. We want to help build resilience and connection with our residents and their communities. We work with neighbourhood partners, with residents and the community to reduce antisocial behaviour, and invest in community activities.
Social housing homes in England
Social housing homes in Supported Living
New Homes Completed
We work with residents and partner organisations across the country to bring added value and a better sense of belonging. You can find out more about our Community Investment Strategy and social impact here.
Here are some examples of our staff engaging with residents to help make a difference to people's lives.
- North Yorkshire
Diane Kelly is the Scheme Manager of two Homes for Older People in the spa town of Harrogate. Fulton Lodge and Ravenscourt are just three miles apart.
Diane said: “Ravenscourt does not have a communal lounge, but Fulton Lodge does, so I suggested that both sites could get together.
“Everyone brings some food for the buffet and we provide the tea and coffee.
“We also invite some of the local community to join us so they all have the chance to meet new people.
“Fulton Lodge’s communal lounge is now used by 25 residents for a lovely lunch once a month.
“It’s been wonderful to see so many good friendships and relationships form from this regular get-together.”
- East London
Working closely with our residents and community partners has made life a lot better for those living in one of our East London high-rises.
For many months antisocial behaviour (ASB) by groups of youths made life miserable for residents. Bad language, substance misuse, graffiti and littering blighted the block’s communal areas. At the same time homeless people were regularly accessing the building to sleep and use the communal electrical sockets. Despite the best efforts of us and our partner agencies, the main doors were damaged almost as soon as they were repaired, enabling further access and annoyance.
After meeting with residents, the local police and local council, our Housing Officer put forward an action plan and gathered evidence to support a closure order. The closure order application was accepted by the courts and made it an offence for anyone to hang around the communal areas without good reason. Anyone who did could be arrested. Our Housing Officer’s work empowered residents to report incidents and to expect a swift response from the police. This gave us time to implement a number of measures including:
- Replacing the emergency exit buttons on communal doors to prevent re-entry
- Installing a CCTV system
- Installing locks to the communal electrical sockets
- Changing locks on the block’s cupboards
The new security cameras helped the police identify two men and warrants were issued for their arrest. ASB warning letters were also sent to the parents of several local youths. Thanks to our Housing Officer’s actions there has been a dramatic reduction in incidents and communal repairs.
- Hackney, London
Cycling has always been popular in Kingsmead as a way of getting around London and the local area. So when new fire safety regulations meant bikes could no longer be stored on balconies, our many pedal-powered residents needed an alternative. Our Hackney residents live in flats so keeping bikes within their home is not a good option for many.
Our local team worked with Kingsmead Residents’ Association and the local council to determine the best solution. Twelve secure cycle hangars – with space for a total of 72 bikes – will be installed across Kingsmead before the end of 2022. This outcome was delayed as a result of the pandemic but has been widely welcomed by residents. The project is a good example of what can be achieved when we work with the community to achieve shared goals. The hangars are being funded by us and a contribution from Sport England.
- Essex
Sanctuary Supported Living teamed up with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust to inspire young people through sport and exercise.
For Chaney, who lives in our Southend Young Parents Supported Housing, it was the breakthrough she was searching for.
She was introduced to Suzanne Miller, a former professional badminton star, while taking part in the ‘Get on Track for Wellbeing’ programme.
Chaney said: “I am much more positive, I am eating well and going to the gym.”
You can read more about Chaney, and our other success stories, on the Sanctuary Supported Living website.
We know that antisocial behaviour can be very disruptive and that is why we take managing it really seriously. Our local housing teams work hard with residents and community partners, such as police to identify, resolve and reduce antisocial behaviour in our communities. You can find more information about how we can support you if you are experiencing antisocial behaviour, hate crime or domestic abuse on our dedicated webpages.
Number of antisocial cases reported
Said you feel safe and secure in your home