AVDC and Midsummer Housing Association help 18 local families

Archived press release

Date Published: 07/04/06

Aylesbury Vale District Council has helped Milton Keynes-based Midsummer Housing Association provide homes for 18 families in Aylesbury. The council made grants totalling £970,000 to the housing association towards the cost of purchasing and...

Aylesbury Vale District Council has helped Milton Keynes-based Midsummer Housing Association provide homes for 18 families in Aylesbury. The council made grants totalling £970,000 to the housing association towards the cost of purchasing and renovating the homes to a suitable standard. Funding towards the project was also provided by the Housing Corporation.

The council has nominated the people who will live in the properties from its housing waiting list. Of the 18, seven of the tenants needed to be moved into larger homes and five were homeless and living in temporary or hostel accommodation. Many of the tenants have had to wait for up to three years to receive their new homes. Fifteen of the properties have already been let and the remaining three tenants will move in shortly.

Cabinet Member for Housing Michael Edmonds said, “These 18 homes are just part of our wider programme to help people into better homes. During 2004/5, the council has enabled 109 properties to be offered to local people for rent or low-cost ownership. From July this year, the council will transfer its own housing stock to the Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust. “But although the council will no longer be a landlord, we remain committed to helping local people into good quality homes, by working in partnership with other housing associations and trusts. Over the next three years, we’ll be helping to provide at least 750 homes for rent in the district,” explained Councillor Edmonds.

Maggie Sherlock, Chief Executive at Midsummer, is delighted at the success of the purchase and repair programme. “We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Aylesbury Vale District Council on this project. Tackling homelessness and overcrowding are big challenges for all housing providers and by working together, Midsummer and the council have helped many families to find suitable and permanent homes,” she said.