Magna goes on building more homes

7/28/2010

Magna Housing Association has built 99 new affordable homes in the last year, with another 435 planned over the next three years.

At the Dorchester-based association’s annual general meeting, chairman Ian Bullock said: “Over the last 12 months, Magna has very definitely met its purpose – to help people meet their housing and related needs and aspirations.”

The association is a not-for-profit organisation which has more than 5,800 homes for rent and nearly 150 shared ownership properties.

A recent residents’ survey showed that overall satisfaction had gone up from 81 per cent in 2008 to 84 per cent, with satisfaction on repairs and maintenance up from 71 per cent to 80 per cent.

Other highlights from the year include:

* £10m of investment in work to achieve the government’s Decent Homes Standard on all Magna’s homes by 31 December 2010
* The introduction of repairs by appointment
* Successful merger of its waiting list with West Dorset District Council’s, so applicants have to register only once
* The introduction of a financial incentive scheme to encourage residents to move from properties that are too big for them so as to free-up homes for families
* Rent arrears and re-letting empty properties in the top 25 per cent of all housing associations
* Increasing resident involvement with the launch of the Community Connections residents’ group, which will help Magna shape its services

Future plans include taking action to achieve the Audit Commission’s ‘excellent’ standard, improving the association’s offices in Poundbury Road, providing 200 new affordable homes this financial year and continuing to replace 300 kitchen and bathrooms a year, along with new roofs, windows, doors, boilers and insulation to keep its properties to a high standard