Our aims are to create a national, democratically run, membership-based organisation with the aim of addressing LGBTQ+ housing inequality via the creation of and stewardship over deliverable housing projects for the benefit of our community.
The organisation will seek to identify and research the current need across the country to build a national picture, and then respond to identified needs via the delivery of local housing projects.
We will act as a centralised ‘hub’ of advice, support and advocacy for developing and already established LGBTQ+ community housing groups, and we will work to establish new community housing groups and support them in developing their own unique and appropriate projects.
Together, we will build housing and community spaces for those who need it, and create environments where our community can live safely, access mutual support and socialise in a place they can call their own. We are 100% community-led, entirely non-profit and our eventual properties will be owned by the community in perpetuity.
Current business structure
Our current business structure is an ‘unincorporated association’. This is not a legal person and has no recognition in UK law. We do not currently have a governing constitution, however we do have a Terms of Reference, several policies and our Values, Mission Statement, Purpose and Culture, that all keep us in check. We are currently in the process of incorporating as a charitable organisation.
What our business structure will look like
We will become a nationwide membership-owned organisation called a Community Benefit Society. The organisation will be run by a board of democratically elected individuals, voted in by the membership. The organisation will be completely non-profit and entirely for the benefit of our community (the clue was in the name!)
Our eventual organisation will also have an asset lock. An asset lock is a constitutional device that prevents the distribution of residual assets to members upon winding a company up. The purpose of an asset lock is to ensure that any retained surplus or residual value cannot be appropriated for private benefit of members. In layman’s terms, this means that any money or assets that we accrue must always be for the benefit of our community, and never for our shareholders or the board, for example. This is a statutory lock that exists in UK and therefore it cannot be broken. This means if we ever close, we will be legally required to transfer our assets and any capital to an organisation with similar aims (i.e. another LGBT organisation).
What’s stopping you from becoming an incorporated organisation right now?
We will be honest – the answer to this question is, of course, money. We need to raise funds to a) pay the fees required to register as a Community Benefit Society and b) to pay the licensing costs of using the Model Rules of the National Housing Federation (being set up with these Rules will allow us to become a proper housing provider one day). If you can chip in and help us out, we’d really appreciate it. Head to our Fundraiser page to find our more.
First Brick Housing 