ABSTRACT
One of the most significant innovations in contemporary, social housing practice has been the involvement of residents in decision-making processes. The housing association sector in the UK has been viewed as slow to implement participation. Housing associations have been described as using "chameleon-like activity", involving flexible goals through the idea of social enterprise – avoiding undue dependency on public subsidy, whilst harnessing an ability to access private financial markets. The chapter examines how a programme of change, which attempted to give priority to resident involvement, affected wider organisational performance based on a case study of a London housing association. Residents and board members were selected to encompass a range of roles within the organisation to provide contrasting perspectives on the governance structure and to determine how far involvement resulted in innovative practice. The chapter focuses on three key areas, namely: ensuring value for money, promoting innovation, and embedding participation.
