Community ownership in Glasgow: the devolution of ownership and control, or a centralizing process

McKee, K. (2007) Community ownership in Glasgow: the devolution of ownership and control, or a centralizing process. European Journal of Housing Policy, 7(3), pp. 319-336. (doi: 10.1080/14616710701477946)

Abstract

The largest housing stock transfer in Europe, the 2003 Glasgow transfer promises to ‘empower’ tenants by devolving ownership and control from the state to local communities. This is to be delivered through a devolved structure in which day to day housing management is delegated to a citywide network of 60 Local Housing Organisations, governed at the neighbourhood level by committees of local residents. The receiving landlord, the Glasgow Housing Association, has further made commitments to disaggregate the organisation via Second Stage Transfer in order to facilitate local community ownership, as well as management of the housing stock. This paper argues that whilst the Glasgow transfer has enhanced local control in the decision making process within the limits permitted by the transfer framework, it has nonetheless failed to deliver the levels of involvement aspired to by those actively engaged in the process. Displaying at times more of the semblance of a movement than an organisation, the Glasgow Housing Association operates a classic centre-periphery divide. These tense central-local relations have contributed to the emergence of conflict which has further undermined negotiations surrounding the realisation of full community ownership via Second Stage Transfer.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Social rented housing; stock transfer; community ownership; tenant empowerment; second stage transfer; glasgow
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: McKee, Dr Kimberly
• Authors: McKee, K.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races; H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General); H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
• Research Group: Human Geography
• Journal Name: European Journal of Housing Policy
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1461-6718
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2007 Taylor and Francis
• First Published: First published in European Journal of Housing Policy 7(3):319-336
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher

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