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Keynote works on the principle that housing associations should be about more than just housing. So on top of investing 拢13m in major housing repairs this year, it has also put in place an Active Neighbourhood strategy in Birmingham to reduce crime, broaden tenure and lengthen tenancies; invested more than 1000 person-days in creating personal well-being, community education and skills training initiatives; and raised 拢770,000 in unclaimed benefits for tenants and residents. Although competition was fierce, the judges felt that this holistic approach to serving the community, along with its transformation of a derelict school into a vibrant mixed-use development, was so impressive it had to be the victor of this category. 鈥淜eynote combines social, economic, housing and wider physical improvement of neighbourhoods to really make a difference in the communities it serves,鈥� they said. There鈥檚 no doubt that this is one worthy winner.

Keynote Housing Association has turned Broad Heath School in Coventry into a mixed-use development including live鈥搘ork units for young entrepreneurs

Runners-up

This Birmingham-based organisation is one of only a handful of independent housing associations in the UK run by local people. Since it was established in 1996 it has worked with the police, local authority, primary care trust, Learning & Skills Council and elected residents to improve the quality of life for the residents of Castle Vale. Its community wardens, youth outreach workers, community safety co-ordinator and resident volunteers are all playing an important part in the transformation of this area 鈥� and are set to do so long into the future.

Leeds Federation Housing Association

Beeston Hill is in one of the 10% most deprived wards in the country and suffers from poor housing conditions, high crime and poor educational attainment. It also falls under the aegis of Leeds Federation, which is why its housing stock is getting better, the crime rate is going down and education has become a priority. The housing association has secured 拢3.81m of Housing Corporation funding to completely refurbish 80 properties in the area, it has a neighbourhood nuisance officer to tackle antisocial behaviour and has established a learning centre focusing on the key skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT. So it shouldn鈥檛 stay in that 10% bracket for very much longer.

Manchester Methodist Housing group

Last year鈥檚 winner, Manchester Methodist only just missed out on making it two years in a row, because of the strength of its entry. The judges were really impressed by the way this housing association manages to combine local small-scale projects with large, high-profile schemes.

At the smaller end, this year it funded and opened a community laundrette in the Northmoor area of Manchester, which is proving a success. And at the other end of the scale, much progress has been made on the flagship New Islington Millennium Community 鈥� so much so the first new homes are nearly ready for occupation.

Poplar Harca

It has been seven years since Poplar HARCA was set up and in that time it has guided the area through a remarkable transformation. It implemented a 拢150m major works programme to improve and maintain its properties, which has resulted in the refurbishment of 158 blocks and 2759 homes 鈥� no mean feat. The key to Poplar鈥檚 success is that it is resident-led and engages with the community on many levels 鈥� not least through its six incredibly busy neighbourhood centres.