Poplar HARCA Win housing heroes award

The awards were established in 2009 to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the many unsung heroes working in the housing sector.

Poplar HARCA collected the Tenant Empowerment Team of the Year Award for their innovative and ground-breaking work to involve residents at all levels of the organisation which is responsible for 8,500 homes. During 2009, Poplar HARCA increased membership of their estate boards by over 40 per cent to 264. They recruited and trained 24 Resident Directors to support strategic decision-making in the organisation, and a further 12 residents were trained to carry out reviews of services provided by poplar HARCA.

Poplar HARCA’s six strong Resident Empowerment Support Team collected their award at the Hilton Hotel from BBC TV personality Ben Fogle. In total, awards were presented in 15 different categories in an event organised jointly by the Chartered Institute of Housing and Inside Housing magazine.

The Chartered Institute of Housing’s Kathy Hanson said: "Since 1 April 2010, all housing organisations are formally required to involve their tenants and residents in their activities. It is clear that Poplar HARCA are well ahead of the game. Their Youth Empowerment Board involving over 70 local young people is particularly impressive and has already helped to secure £4 million of lottery funding for a purpose built youth facility in the area."

*ENDS*