Mr Abhilash Gupta and Mrs Indu Gupta. Pic: Nick Linnett<\/p>\n
Leicester residents have celebrated 30 years working with a local housing association.<\/p>\n
Around 710 residents live in co-operative housing managed by the Bede Island Road-based PA Housing. They work together to meet the community's affordable and sustainable housing needs.<\/p>\n
The homes in the co-ops, 119 at Ross Walk and 117 at Maynard, are jointly owned by residents, meaning that each individual has a vote on decisions that affect their homes and neighbourhoods. <\/p>\n
Kishor Jadavji, Chair of Ross Walk co-op, said: \"Ross Walk Housing Cooperative has shared a fantastic relationship with PA Housing over 30 years.<\/p>\n
\"The staff are very professional and hardworking. PA Housing provides a great service and continuously seek ways of maintaining high standards for our tenant members.\"<\/p>\n
The co-ops were set up over 40 years ago to prevent housing demolition and responded to the needs of Asian communities leaving East Africa to settle in the East Midlands.<\/p>\n
Thirty years ago, PA Housing took over the management of buildings and services at the co-ops in Maynard Road and Ross Walk.<\/p>\n
Mr Abhilash Gupta is a resident of the Ross Walk co-op, who has lived in his home for 39 years.<\/p>\n
He said: \"They say, 'necessity is the mother of invention', and that is what you see in the formation of these co-ops and the management.<\/p>\n
When PA took over as managing agent, Maynard Co-operative Housing Association struggled financially, its housing stock was in poor condition, and committee meetings were not well attended.<\/p>\n
Alam Navsa became Chair of the co-op in 1995, and, working with PA, the provider has improved.<\/p>\n
Imtiaz Vohra, Co-ops Service Manager at PA Housing, said: \"The co-ops are important to PA Housing because they are an alternative way of living that is personal and tailored to the communities.<\/p>\n
\"The history of these particular co-ops sees BME communities seeking safe spaces and finding empowerment to lead their own living arrangements, which chimes with the values of our organisation and colleagues.\"<\/p>\n
\"You can tell in the way people take care of the neighbourhood, and everybody wants to move in here now!\"<\/p>\n
Mrs Fatima Dakri said: \"PA Housing makes the co-op's annual general meeting an event everyone wants to attend - there is real transparency in where the money that goes into the co-op is spent. <\/p>\n
\"It is something you do not get when you live in a council flat as we did before then it is just a house.\"<\/p>\n
Over the last three decades, PA Housing has worked with the co-ops on financial management, home repairs and community safety. <\/p>\n
The housing association said it continues to adapt its work with the co-ops and hopes to return to face-to-face events soon, starting with a celebration for its 30th anniversary.<\/p>\n
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Leicester residents celebrate 30-year anniversary with local housing association - In Your Area<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mr Abhilash Gupta and Mrs Indu Gupta. Pic: Nick Linnett Leicester residents have celebrated 30 years working with a local housing association. Around 710 residents live in co-operative housing managed by the Bede Island Road-based PA Housing Continue reading