New housing alliance formed: meet ARCHIE!

Eight housing associations and co-operatives in Edinburgh have established a new alliance to share skills, experience and resources which will allow them to deliver an enhanced service to their customers and the wider community.

The Alliance of Registered Co-operatives and Housing Associations, Independent in Edinburgh (ARCHIE) was officially launched at an event hosted by Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing and Economy Convener, at Edinburgh City Chambers on 22 March.

The members of ARCHIE are Hunters Hall Housing Co-op, Lister Housing Co-op, Manor Estates Housing Association, Muirhouse Housing Association, Port of Leith Housing Association, Prospect Housing Association, Viewpoint Housing Association and West Granton Housing Co-operative.

As a voluntary partnership of equals (not a group structure or amalgamation), the members of the Alliance deliver services to more than 20,000 people throughout Edinburgh and, collectively, employ 440 permanent staff, which are overseen by more than 100 voluntary Board/Committee members.

Over the coming year the Alliance will focus on sharing procurement support, project management training for staff responsible for the development of new housing (delivered by Housemark) and, potentially, team up for Board/Committee Member learning and development opportunities.

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of Port of Leith Housing Association, (above) said: “All the members of ARCHIE are excited about the potential benefits for our organisations, our customers and the communities we serve of working together through this alliance while retaining our strong independent identities.

“We are looking forward to ARCHIE’s first year of activity and to exploring many other ways we can collaborate to deliver great results and provide good value for money.”

Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing and Economy Convener, said: “This initiative will help the smaller housing associations to support each other. Working together they can identify local housing need and find ways of improving services to their 20,000 customers across Edinburgh.”