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Dear Guest

Last week, I saw two important signs of progress for access and inclusion.

First, we broke the seal with Build-to-Rent. I ran a session with a leadership and development team for a major institution who are getting into the sector. They have the power to influence huge change, are building their business from the ground up with a team that cares about ESG, rather than paying it lip-service. They have fewer barriers to getting things right from the start and understand that meeting a tenant's whole life-cycle (birth, marriage, death, trauma, age and disability) builds loyalty and contributes to community and a good business model (= lower costs, increased yields). 

The second was an informal meeting meeting within a city council to discuss strategy for accessibility and inclusion at a broader level - another example of team members who totally get it and want to influence colleagues who don't. These staff know what the problems look like. For example, paying a fortune for unsuitable accessible temporary accommodation, that definitely isn't accessible. This cohort want to know what solutions look like. AccessiblePRS has many solutions, including co-production, specific research, and creating specific roles that show valuable ROI to Local Authorities! We just need these conversations with the right people.

I love my work because it ranges into different areas in the sector. This strategic perspective is a gift for dot joining and seeing patterns - i.e. early warnings, systems thinking and solutions. 

What I see in the PRS are reducing property numbers, and rising rents and demand. A worryingly, unsustainable UK housing trend. We have to stop doing what we've always done, because it's getting us what we've always got.

So let's talk about Agile Homes. Together, we are doing things in a radically different way, including using primary legislation that already exists to facilitate solutions - but isn't being understood or used.

I look forward to speaking with you!

Best wishes
Guy

 

Guy Harris
07836 225435
guy.harris@accessibleprs.co.uk