National Affordable Housing Programme

The prospectus inviting bids to the Housing Corporation's National Affordable Housing Programme is now published, inviting bids for 2008-2011.

The Corporation welcomes bids via 'the Investment Partner route' and 'the Specialist Provision route' (paragraphs 190-210) and expects to fund more supported housing than it did in the 2006-08 programme, when it invested in 6,724 homes (paragraph 48).

Organisations using the move on plans protocol (MOPP) should examine two sections of the prospectus that may be relevant:

1. Organisations bidding for supported housing are required to submit supplementary information including: 'that the bidder confirms it has developed a strategic approach to move-on' (paragraph 49). There is potential for the MOPP to be used as one example of such an approach.
2. Organisations bidding for move on accommodation are reminded that the Corporation: 'encourages all providers to bring forward general needs properties as move-on accommodation from supported housing, where this is an identified priority. Where funding is requested specifically for one-bedroom properties on the basis that this is providing move-on accommodation, evidence of need should be included as part of the bidder’s Supplementary Information' (paragraph 47). Areas using the MOPP may be able to take advantage of the information they have collated via the protocol for this purpose.

The closing date for applications is 2 November 2007.