A HOUSING consortium is increasing the number of affordable homes in Yorkshire and Humber.
The Unity Community Development Consortium (UCDC) was founded in May 2021 by Leeds-based BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise.
The aim was to help housing associations and community groups build more affordable homes after the pandemic hindered progress in the sector.
The consortium has expanded over the past five years and now includes organisations such as Manningham Housing Association (MHA), Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, Harrogate Housing Association, and Hull Churches.
Currently, the UCDC is aiding Chartford Housing in securing more properties in West Yorkshire for vulnerable residents.
It recently helped MHA to acquire 36 large family homes at Odette's Point in Keighley, 19 houses on Victoria Road in Bradford, and a large extended family house in Bradford.
UCDC is also backing MHA in their plan to build 150 new homes in the next five years.
Harrogate Housing Association will soon begin constructing 20 new affordable properties with help from the consortium.
On behalf of Hull Churches, UCDC has exchanged contracts for the acquisition of 12 two-bedroomed houses to be let to local people.
Although not formally part of the consortium, UCDC has supported Pickering and Ferens in delivering over 40 new homes, facilitating the acquisition of 25 properties via a Section 106 agreement with Persimmon Homes, and developing a healthy pipeline of new opportunities using local Hull based developers.
Wayne Noteman, Director of Regeneration at Unity Homes and Enterprise, said the consortium assists members' development aspirations by sharing expertise and pooling resources.
He said: "This has already paid significant dividends across the region with many more affordable properties either completed, in development, acquired from the open market, or progressing through planning, than would otherwise have been the case."
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