HOWCH meeting with, from left, Gwendoline Coates, Brekke Larson, Susan Beaney, Gabriella Pettitt, Ruby Cox and Rose Fordham.
New initiative aims to develop co-housing for older women
A new response to the housing crisis has arisen in the shape of HOWCH – Hastings Older Women Co-Housing. Member Sue Warren explains its aims and plans ahead of its next public meeting on Friday 26 April.
A visionary housing project; sustainable, community-based and a model for future projects. HOWCH (Hastings Older Women Co-Housing) are working towards providing co-housing for women over 50 in Hastings and St Leonards. After some very successful public meetings, more women have expressed interest and are now actively engaged in developing the project.
HOWCH’s goal is to build affordable housing for older women to rent or buy. The individual homes will be more than a place to live. They will create a community for a full life, sharing space, time, and facilities with each other and the wider community, whilst retaining the usual private spaces of traditional homes. The designs are tailored to minimise costs, and expenses will be shared to reduce their impact on individuals.
Seeking suitable sites on which to build the project, HOWCH have identified potential plots both next to Alexandra Park and the seaside. Funding from Hastings Borough Council has been approved for concept drawings. The first meeting with the architects takes place in April.
Start-up grant
HOWCH has obtained a start-up grant from National Community Land Trust Network and is supported by the Sussex Community Housing Hub established by Action in Rural Sussex, which promotes community-led housing.
The group is made up of local people, with an open membership and democratic governance structure. The purpose of the next meeting is to get together those who have expressed an interest in HOWCH, so that we can start to form lasting relationships with supporters of the project. Also welcome are new volunteers, potential residents, and anyone with an interest in a visionary model for affordable, sustainable, community housing.
HOWCH’s next meeting will take place on Friday 26 April, from 7 to 9pm, at Pissarro’s, 9-10 South Terrace, Hastings TN34 1SA.
For more information please contact info@howch.org.
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Very good to read this. All these super luxury retirement developments appear to be built for the wealthiest pensioner. Huge upfront costs and similarly huge service charges…most with no gardens and little chance of taking your beloved pet with you. I think the concept as outlined here is just what we need. Congrats to all those you thought of this!
Comment by Ms.Doubtfire — Thursday, Apr 18, 2019 @ 15:14