Black and ethnic minority communities face repeated challenges within the community-led housing sector. New research, from the University of Liverpool, aims to dive into these challenges and propose ways to overcome them.
The report highlights the under-representation of Black and minority ethnic groups in the community-led housing sector, despite significant potential for these initiatives to address racial inequalities in housing. The study involved interviews and workshops with community-led housing projects and used a collaborative approach between practitioners and academic researchers.
Out in the cold
The report shows that while community-led housing has seen a revival, empowering local residents to plan, develop, and manage affordable homes, Black and minority ethnic communities remain largely left out. This is despite the fact that community-led housing could be a powerful tool to tackle racial disparities in housing policy and practice.
There’s a long history of successful Black and minority ethnic-led housing projects dating back to the 1980s and 1990s, many of which overcame institutional and structural discrimination. The report suggests these earlier efforts could inspire a new generation of similar initiatives.
Most participants in the study said that government policies and planning practices often overlook the housing needs of Black and minority ethnic communities. Community-led housing, with its grassroots approach, offers an opportunity for these groups to design and implement their own housing solutions, addressing the disadvantages they face in the mainstream housing market.
Lack of representation
Despite efforts to promote diversity, awareness of community-led housing remains low among Black and minority ethnic communities. Many participants noted a lack of representation in leadership positions within the sector and felt excluded from decision-making processes. Some also perceived certain community-led housing models as “white spaces,” unintentionally marginalizing these groups.
Funding was identified as a major barrier. Inconsistent policies and funding frameworks limit the success of Black and minority ethnic-led projects, and many felt these communities are often sidelined when it comes to securing financial support.
The report urges funders to track how Black and minority ethnic communities are represented in the distribution of housing funds. It also calls on local authorities to promote opportunities for these communities to acquire land and engage in more inclusive planning processes.
“This report sheds light on racial inequalities not just in community-led housing, but across the entire housing ecosystem, including planning, finance, and policy,” the authors explain. They emphasize that addressing these issues is crucial, both to empower under-represented communities and to increase the supply of affordable housing—an area where community-led efforts play a key role.
