Resonance is delighted to have picked up the Social Impact Award at this year’s Insider Media Residential Property Awards for the work of one of its homelessness property funds, National Homelessness Property Fund 2 (NHPF2). This award is recognition of the fund’s commitment to providing a sustainable solution to the region’s homelessness crisis, its work and partnerships with its expert housing partners, and its intent in creating positive social impact and outcomes for tenants.

The awards showcased and celebrated the people, businesses and organisations which have designed, developed, funded, built and managed homes and communities across the North West.

Chris Cullen, Fund Manager, Head of Homelessness Property Funds and Sam Berry, Property Investment Analyst, represented and accepted the prestigious award on behalf of the wider Resonance team, and were joined by Briony Branson, GM Ethical Lettings Agency Project Manager at Salix Homes.

Sixteen awards were handed out at the event that saw representatives from around 80 organisations enjoy the black-tie dinner held at Manchester Central.

The Social Impact Award is recognition of a residential scheme in the North West region that has had a significant positive social impact on the local community, with judges looking for an example that went ‘above and beyond the norm’.

NHPF2 in the North West

NHPF2 has received over £79m from socially minded impact investors, including Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, enabling it to purchase a mix of one-, two- and 3-bedroom homes – 109 properties so far - for local people experiencing housing crisis. Three local housing providers, Salix Homes, Stockport Homes Group and Bolton at Home, have partnered with the fund and are providing over 140 people, including 47 children, with not only a safe and decent place to call home, but also access to specialist support services. This support is enabling tenants to tackle issues such as addiction, trauma, physical and mental health and wellbeing, barriers to employment to create more positive futures for themselves.

On winning this award, Chris Cullen, said: “I am incredibly proud of this award win for the fund, the property team and the work they are doing with our wonderful housing partners in the North West, to provide desperately needed homes and support services for people living in temporary accommodation and facing or experiencing, homelessness. This award is recognition of our commitment to provide a sustainable and scalable, place-based solution to the housing crisis and to create positive and long-lasting impact for tenants.”

Meanwhile, judges were: “impressed by the longevity and what it has achieved. The social impact and the lives it will touch and doing this at a difficult time. They said it was brilliant the way new locations for tenants are chosen.”

About National Homelessness Property Fund 2

This fund was created in December 2020 in response to the growing need for affordable housing, providing safe and decent homes for people in housing crisis. Initially, the fund’s focus was on providing homes in the Greater Manchester region but has since expanded into Bristol, Oxford, Merseyside and London.

As of September 2024, the fund has a total of 355 properties in its portfolio and has housed just 500 people across the UK.

Read more about the positive outcomes being created by this and our other homelessness property funds in our Homelessness Property Funds Social Impact Report 2023/24.