Thought leader interview with Mark Sater

What will be the biggest issue you hope to hear more on at Housing 2022?

The cost-of-living crisis is having a huge impact on people nationwide, and sadly it affects most those who are least able to manage the kind of inflation we are seeing.

This is having an impact on our customers, and we are assisting in every way we can, with our Financial Support Team, budget tools and benefits calculators on our website and working with a range of partners.

This conference is an opportunity to hear how other affordable housing providers are supporting their own customers so we can better support ours, both now, in 2023 and in the future.

What will you be speaking about in your session?

It’s Boosting Housing Supply Through Innovative Partnerships. This nicely summarises what Sage was set up to do, as we work closely with major developers, local authorities and other Registered Providers to deliver much-needed affordable homes.

Although most of our homes are delivered through section 106 agreements, we are also providing much-needed additionality through partnerships with organisations like Homes England and the GLA – we have around 2,000 additional affordable homes being delivered.

Diversifying our pipeline to include both Section 106 and grant-funded homes will boost the long-term supply of affordable housing and give even more families a spacious, new house of their own with a garden.

Tell us a question for the Secretary of State?

What plans does the government have to square rising build costs, inflationary pressures, a looming sense of tough times ahead, levies on housebuilders and remediation costs for many HAs, and frequent political announcements of proposed sector changes with the need to ensure large-scale delivery of much-needed homes, especially affordable housing?

What are you most looking forward to?

An opportunity to connect with people at the conference in a way that leads to more partnerships with the public and private sectors that deliver more affordable homes and, ultimately, helps more people in real housing need to get a secure place they are proud to call home.

Name the housing speaker of your dreams and why?

The best kind of speaker is someone you learn from. Whilst we all want to provide excellent customer service, to really understand the role customers want for us in their lives and improve our service we need to listen in person to get their wants and needs.

Why is it vital the whole sector has a place to meet each year?

It’s a great opportunity to meet familiar faces, network with new ones, and hear how the wider sector is doing. No one in affordable housing is a competitor – we all rely on partners, and this is a chance to work together on finding solutions to help address one of society’s biggest challenges.

Book for your ticket for Housing 2022 now.