Jonny Carroll with the keys to his new family home in Greenfield with Carl Sargeant , centre; Wales Minister for Housing and Regeneration
A young family has ended its long search for a new home by becoming the 500th family to benefit from an innovative housing partnership.
Thanks to the Welsh Housing Partnership, Jonny Carroll, his partner Nicola Cartwright and their one-year-old son Oscar will be handed the keys to an attractive new three-bedroom property close to his work in Greenfield, Flintshire.
The new home comes as a relief to Jonny and his family, who had struggled to find a new home before discovering the Welsh Government-backed initiative. The couple will now move in at the end of the month.
Since forming in August 2011, the Welsh Housing Partnership has helped 500 low-income families, which would otherwise be unable to buy or rent a property, find a new, affordable home.
Made up of Coastal Group, Hendre Group, Seren Group and Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd, Welsh Housing Partnership operates to buy affordable homes for people to rent.
Welsh Government Minister for Housing and Regeneration Carl Sargeant was on hand to welcome the family to their new home, along with representatives from the Welsh Housing Partnership and Flintshire County Council.
The Minister said: “I am delighted to be here to wish Jonny and Nicola well as they move into their new home here in Greenfield.
“I must also congratulate the Welsh Housing Partnership as they reach the significant milestone of helping 500 families into affordable homes. The Partnership is an excellent example of collaborative working and I would like to thank everyone involved in delivering much needed affordable rented properties across Wales.
“I’m really pleased that the Welsh Government is supporting the Partnership and through it these new homes in Flintshire.”
Jonny said: “It’s fantastic timing for us really, as Nicola is due to have our second baby in June. Everything is falling into place at the right time.
“We currently rent privately, but the garden isn’t safe for our son and a lot of work is needed on the house.
“We haven’t been successful in acquiring council housing and haven’t enough money saved for a deposit to buy a house. This scheme is perfect for people like us that fall between the two.
“It’s fantastic, I really feel like I’ve fallen on my feet, and other people in a similar situation should really try to find out more about the Welsh Housing Partnership.”
Welsh Housing Partnership represents an investment of £106m by the end of March 2015, including £21m from the Welsh Government and a further £79m in investment from private funders. The partnership will deliver more than 900 homes for low-income families to rent.
The partnership provides an affordable housing solution to families with a combined income of less than £30,000 a year in 21 local authorities across Wales. The four housing associations have a combined turnover of £120m and manage nearly 18,000 homes.
Ian Williams, Welsh Housing Partnership chair, said: “I’m extremely pleased for Jonny and Nicola, as I am for all of the families that have found a new home thanks to the Welsh Housing Partnership.
“There is a real need to provide quality, affordable housing for families in Wales that can not afford to buy or rent on their own.
“Working as a partnership, the four housing associations have been able to supply valuable support for many families throughout Wales, and we are on course to house more than 900 families by mid 2015.”
Anyone interested in contacting Welsh Housing Partnership for further information can visit www.welshhousingpartnership.co.uk
