How we will ensure housing remains a community anchor for Soho

The Housing 2024 conference takes place this month (June) and the theme of one talk in particular – ‘Beyond Bricks and Mortar: The Role of Housing as a Community Anchor’ – resonates with me and speaks to the work that we do at Soho Housing Association.

Housing plays a vital role in creating and safeguarding the fabric of a local community, and as we have been celebrating our 50^th anniversary year, Soho Housing Association has been reflecting on our mission to provide affordable housing in the heart of London.

A community legacy

Since 1973, we have been dedicated to providing quality housing and fostering a diverse community in Soho and Covent Garden. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, including key workers and young professionals, can afford to live in the areas in which they work. The local and economic landscape may not be the same as in 1973, but we have evolved in tandem to continue to safeguard the more than 2,500 people residing in Soho – the heart of London.

To shine a light on this, we recently hosted the ‘At Home in Soho’ exhibition (pictured) at our first ever association home. The exhibition explored the association’s legacy and accomplishments over the past 50 years and how we plan to move forward in an evolving and continually changing city while exploring life behind the scenes of the association.

Creative solutions

As part of the exhibition, we wanted to shine a light on the association’s creative solutions to the challenges faced by the evolving housing market in London. With increasing competition for space in prime locations and decreasing financial support from the government, London housing associations operate in a challenging landscape. As with any challenge, the Soho Housing Association team has had to adapt and find creative methods to overcome this.

In addition to our residential properties, we have a significant portfolio of commercial properties and utilising our commercial space to fund residential developments has proved an effective way to overcome funding challenges for residential projects. For example, we let to independent book shops  and galleries – spaces further contributing to Soho’s distinctive character – and use this revenue to fund and refurbish the residential properties in Soho and Covent Garden, such as our Sandringham flats project.

The Sandringham flat renovation project initially set out to replace the single-glazed windows on the building and fit new fire doors. However, to ensure the ongoing durability of the building, it became evident that further repairs were required such as brickwork and concrete amendments.

The renovation was a significant project and we had to ensure that we successfully balanced meeting residents’ needs, bringing the property to modern standards in line with ESG credentials – such as double-glazing windows – and preserving the building’s historical facade and legacy. The renovation project signified the association’s commitment to bringing our property portfolio in line with ESG ambitions to provide sustainable housing to our residents.

Long lasting bonds

Not only are we committed to safeguarding Soho’s community, we are beneficiaries of it. By building and maintaining good relationships with local developers we continue to build our portfolio and provide new affordable housing developments in Soho and Covent Graden. In 2022, for example, we partnered with Soho Estates to deliver eight affordable, sustainable apartments in Greek Street under Section 106. Energy efficiency was at the core of the development, with every flat EPC rated C or above.

Since Soho Housing Association was founded in 1973, our residents – our community – have been at the heart of our purpose, and this continues today.  Looking ahead to the next 50 years, the association will continue to explore opportunities to leverage our property portfolio to provide housing that can act as that community anchor. The London of 2073 will no doubt be transformed, but at least one thing will remain the same: Soho Housing Association, fighting to provide for and promote our residential community.