Liverpool City Council's ethical housing company, Foundations, has unveiled Frank Hont as its new Chair.

As a former Councillor and and Cabinet Member for Housing, Mr Holt has helped deliver 5,000 new and refurbished homes over the past few years, including housing projects such as the Welsh Streets, Marwood Towers as well as leading initiatives such as Landlord Licencing, tackling HMOs and the review of Student Accommodation across the city.

Mr Holt will now establish a small Board of housing experts to take Foundations forward quickly and deliver 2,000 new homes in its first two years.

Elsewhere, Mark Kitts has been chosen as Chief Executive subject to the City Council agreeing to second him for an initial two year period.

Mr Kitts has led the delivery of many major regeneration schemes having worked for Liverpool City Council since 2002, most notably the Anfield Project, Great Homer Street’s Project Jennifer, Lime Street regeneration and more recently Ten Streets and Paddington Village.

-- Advertisement --

Both of the new recruits will work towards Foundations' aims of delivering 10,000 new homes over the next 10 years.

The Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: "I’m delighted Frank and Mark have accepted these roles – Foundations is going to be a complete game changer to the city’s housing sector and we need people with their expertise and experience to guide its progress.

"There’s a very busy agenda in front of them, not least building the team and developing plans for more sites across Liverpool, from Croxteth to Speke, with the aim of delivering 2,000 homes by the end of 2020."

Mr Hont said: "I’m honoured to have been chosen to lead Foundations. We have a lot to do and plans are already taking shape. Good quality housing is fundamental to building a better society and this new company is going to make a massive difference to the quality of life to communities right across Liverpool – such as tackling HMOs and vacant properties."

Mr Kitts added: "Foundations has huge potential and my aim is to ensure it underpins the council’s other major strategic housing goals such as the renewal of older neighbourhoods, the creation of new communities and increasing the levels of home ownership in the city.

"We will be offering tenants rental products that will enable residents to move from rental to home ownership. This will be a massive shift for the housing sector in Liverpool and I look forward to supporting Frank and the Mayor to deliver this vision."

(LM/MH)