Housing 21 has completed its largest acquisition to date with the transfer of 1,567 properties from Midland Heart housing association.
The not-for-profit provider of Extra Care and Retirement Living completed the purchase of 23 schemes from Midland Heart, welcoming over 1,600 residents and 137 employees to Housing 21.
As a direct result of the acquisition, Housing 21 has now achieved the milestone of over 10,000 Extra Care properties, which will be a managed alongside its 14,000-strong Retirement Living portfolio.
Tony Tench, deputy chief executive for Housing 21 said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome our new residents and employees to Housing 21 in what represents the biggest acquisition in Housing 21’s 60-year history. Acquisitions are a key part of our growth agenda; in the past 18 months we have purchased over 970 properties from other landlords and are still committed to developing up to 400 new Extra Care and Retirement Living properties every year.
“As some housing associations are choosing to re-focus on general needs, Housing 21, as a specialist provider of housing for older people, is keen to acquire properties and ensure they remain a positive choice for residents, providing the safe, quality and affordable homes they deserve.
“Through acquisitions such as this, residents can feel reassured they are moving to a specialist provider of Extra Care and Retirement Living, who is entirely focused on meeting their needs. It also means these properties are retained to support the growing population of older people not just now, but in the future.”
Extra Care MD Kris Peach said: “To reach 10,000 Extra Care properties is fantastic but to do so in our 60th anniversary year is symbolic as we demonstrate our commitment to providing quality services to more older people.
“Extra Care provides residents with the opportunity to live independently for longer with the support and reassurance of on-site Care Workers who are available 24/ 7. This allows couples with differing care needs to remain together and helps to create communities that tackle social isolation and loneliness.
“As we increase our presence across England, we are giving more older people more choice and control over their future and will continue to identify opportunities for growth. This acquisition complements our existing portfolio, ensuring we can continue to grow to meet the needs of both new and current residents.”
