ABSTRACT

People who work in the social housing sector have been going through a phase of dissonance – a feeling that there may be a growing gap between the heart and the head of social housing provision. Home goes beyond bricks and mortar – it is feeling, family, roots, history, culture, stage, screen, shelter, self, freedom and trap. It may be a momentary feeling of community or a physical protective structure. There are a number of necessary conditions that should be in place to help support the creation of 'homes'. Government policy and local authority practice on the supply and delivery of 'homes' should better recognise this. Conflict should be recognised in the process of planning for homes. The antagonistic practices of place and identity connecting result, in some cases, of local communities saying no to new homes. Local politicians' debate in this arena does not always show progressive leadership.