Leeds Catholic Housing Society

ADVICE AND AID ON OWNERSHIP
From B. A. HARRINGTON
1-N the eight months since its foundation, Leeds Catholic Housing Society has made such progress that it is now assisting one couple per fortnight to buy their own homes. In addition, an average of ten people each week are advised and set on the right lines to solve their housing problems. It was only at the beginning of the year that the society was inaugurated al the request of Bishop Dwyer, when 20 people were invited to a meeting.
MAYOR ADDS TO INITIALS `C.W.L.'
From these a committee of eight were chosen, each with something special to offer—two solicitors, a bank manager, an estate agent, an insurance broker, a member of the Leeds Housing Committee and two business men. Fr. Timothy O'Shea. Bishop Dwyer's secretary, was appointed Chaplain.
It was decided to proceed slowly and not to seek wide publicity untilgood relations had been established with banks, building societies and other interested bodies. To provide collateral for bank loans. ten Leeds Catholics gave £50 each and thus the society's ability to raise money was shown from the outset.
Parish a month
Gradually local clergy brought the society to the notice of parishioners with housing needs. and now Fr. O'Shea is visiting a new parish each month to outline aims and methods and to encourage Catholics to prepare themselves for home ownership. Expert advice is freely available from the committee.
The society runs a savings scheme and a bank loan scheme. Interest is paid, the savings are passed on to a bank and a building society, who are thus made aware of the stability of the saver and confident to lend money when the time for house purchase comes.
Local knowledge of rateable values and prices passed on to intending purchasers helps them to avoid inflated areas and to buy in districts where values are not likely to depreciate through future development schemes.
Co-operation with Fr. Scan Casey, of the Catholic Housing Aid Society, has resulted in a reversal of the trend to move from the North to the overcrowded and expensive South. Recently Fr. Casey was asked to help two families about to be evicted. He could do nothing immediately but contacted Fr. O'Shea,
Co-operation .
As there was plenty of work in the fathers' trades in Leeds and the families were willing to move north, Fr. O'Shea was able to find both accommodation and employment immediately to solve the problem. This type of co-operation is likely to increase as the housing situation is easier in the North with prices within many more families' ability to pay.
It is not the present policy of the Leeds society to buy houses for conversion. The rents which would have to be charged would be as great as mortgages and loan repayments. Often on investigation. it is found that a family can be rehoused quickly by the Local Authority.
One family of 11 living in three rooms. with the most primitive of facilities and a defective roof. was found not to be on the housing waiting list The case was taken up with the Local Authority and there is now a very good possibility that the family will be adequately housed before winter sets in.
One couple previously refused a loan by to building society have now been given one because of support from the society. The coming months will see many couples owning their own homes through the assistance of the society.