Oak Foundation has funded Habinteg Housing Association with a grant for £350,000 to support its work promoting accessible homes and inclusive housing.
Habinteg will be increasing resources dedicated to influencing policy and practice at national, regional and local level, working with disabled people to make the case for new homes to be built to accessible standards.
Habinteg is calling on government to action its July 2022 commitment to raise the minimum accessibility standard of new homes and will be reaching out to local authorities to ensure that targets for M4(3) wheelchair user homes are included in all local plans.
The Oak grant will help Habinteg fund two full time roles, a Campaigns & Engagement Officer and a Public Affairs & Campaigns Manager, as well as projects and events to engage stakeholders at both national and local level.
The new roles will increase Habinteg’s capacity for collaboration with disabled people’s organisations and other like-minded groups, and will see the team seek out and share best practice in the delivery of more accessible new homes.
Nick Apetroaie, Chief Executive at Habinteg, said: “Habinteg has a long and proud record for innovating and campaigning for accessible homes, so we are absolutely delighted to have been approved for this Oak grant to bolster the next phase of our strategy.
“Far too many disabled people are making do in homes not suitable for their needs, which place limitations on their lives that non-disabled people would find unacceptable.
“With this grant support from Oak Foundation, we can enrich and amplify the case for accessible housing and in doing so make a difference to people’s lives up and down the country. I am really looking forward to seeing the impact of our enhanced strategy.”
Habinteg, which has recently been awarded Disability Confident Leader status, is now recruiting for the new roles and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates.