Who should apply to ACHAL for housing?

Criteria for selection

ACHAL operates under the standard Model (H)91 Charitable Rules of the National Housing Federation which give wide parameters in the provision of housing accommodation.

ACHAL'S CRITERIA FOR SELECTION ARE MORE SPECIFIC

Applications will be considered only when it appears that the following criteria would be met:

• Faith, Ministry, Maturity and Church Commitment

  The person should be in agreement with ACHAL's Basis of Faith and committed to the life and ministry of their local church, whether in a full-time capacity or while in secular or other Christian work. The person should show sufficient maturity to handle property and personal finance. Commitment to the person's local church is seen as central. This implies a relationship of support and accountability. It is assumed that the church involved is one which would be in agreement with ACHAL's Basis of Faith, and able to confirm the applicant's key role.

• Location

  Inner city boundaries are not clearly defined, and ACHAL will be flexible in its approach to this criteria. Inner cities other than London may be considered in the long term. (Ref. Legacy pack 1998)

  The person must be committed to live near to their church to identify with the local community.

• Finance

  Each scheme is dependent upon the funding available at the appropriate time. Commitment to the purchase of a house or flat for rental involves ACHAL in heavy initial outlay and includes long-term management and maintenance costs, whereas a shared ownership scheme (or housing loan) - without such commitments - can be undertaken for considerably less.

• Prioritisation

  Despite the difficulty of selection from those who approach ACHAL with genuine and needy situations, prioritisation is a necessary process as all needs cannot be met. This is carried out in line with the above criteria and where ACHAL is not the provider, constructive advice and support will be offered as an important part of ACHAL's ministry.

M/C 27 March 1998

Application Process

If you feel that you meet the criteria above and want to make an application, this is the process to follow:

ENQUIRIES

All enquiries to be processed initially through the office. In some cases advice and support will be given at this stage. In other cases preliminary enquiry forms will be sent and those who seem to fit ACHAL's criteria will be brought to the Committee. If circumstances as to suitability and funding appear appropriate, application forms will be sent.

APPLICATIONS

ACHAL's Basis of Faith to be sent with the application forms which should also include details of the shared ownership option. Names of an employer and minister or elder will be requested as referees.

REFERENCES

Any reference requested should not be merely seeking information on the suitability of the applicant as a tenant. Opinions should also be sought from the church in particular as to the applicant's maturity and Christian commitment. This church link should be seen as an opportunity for establishing a relationship with the church and a brochure should be sent when a reference is requested.

Prior to the formal interview, where appropriate, a London member may be consulted regarding an applicant known to them.

INTERVIEWS

The Committee will appoint members to interview the applicant and they will report back to the Committee, using a suitable pro-forma.

Whenever possible a leader in the applicant's church shall be invited to attend for part of the interview, the object being to ensure that the person applying is fulfilling a lively and significant ministry within the church.

In the case of those whose primary ministry is in a local Christian cause and the church involvement is secondary, the mutual relationship between the church and applicant and their work shall be considered.

It shall be made plain to the applicant at the time of the interview that should he or she cease in their Christian church ministry, they may forfeit the concessionary rental involved which may increase by stages to approximately the commercial level. Such a statement will be set out in the correspondence accompanying the tenancy agreement.

M/C 19 November 1998