If you are in control of thousands of properties and want to focus your resources, then a GIS is an essential tool for strategic and operational management

London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q) are one of the largest Housing Associations in the UK. Their concentration of properties is in central London and the surrounding boroughs. With over 29,000 properties to keep track of, six months ago the Policy department decided to invest in a MapInfo GIS, provided by GDC, to enable effective visual analysis and tracking of their housing stock.

L&Q had invested in MapInfo Professional with caution. They wanted to see if GIS could prove its worth, be user friendly, produce results that could be communicated, and that the software was stable. Their approach has been to use MapInfo as a project system to test the water. At this point they are delighted with the results that have literally seen.

‘The investment is proving worthwhile – we need to be able to deliver the right services to the right places and MapInfo is helping us recognise where our resources are best positioned’ Zoë Belcher, L&Q

L&Q have invested in 2 copies of MapInfo Professional, Zoe Belcher, Research and Information Officer, is the mapping guru. Zoe has been crucial in building the GIS, integrating the data, and working on the 2 projects that have so far been completed in the 6 months that the system has been up and running.

The first project for L&Q was to input all the stock, which meant geocoding all the properties so that the data could be imported into MapInfo Professional and accurately positioned on a digital map. The first problem encountered was the Local Authority Boundaries that L&Q had initially purchased. The boundary data was ok to roughly show where the stock was in each authority, but L&Q were progressing quickly and were starting to focus on the possibility of directing resources into estates. Up to this point L&Q had only been able to identify street property as individual units so resources were scattered with little focus.

The addition of StreetLine data provided an accurate visualisation of where the properties were in the region (and relatively to other streets). Once the input of housing stock was completed, regional estates were identified and set up, and each regional estate defined a specific geographical housing division.

Now a spatial visualisation of housing stock was available. The new maps identified where there were dense areas of stock. From the visualisation L&Q could easily focus resources and street names took on a spatial meaning to the estate officers and executive board. Street names meant nothing on paper; it was only when the stock was visualised that areas were clearly identifiable and practically jumped off the map.

For L&Q, being able to identify estates is crucial in the trusts’ mission to provide quality housing and services. L&Q are increasing the services that they offer tenants to include; training & job search initiatives, tenant associations, and community youth groups. Zoë Belcher believes that ‘by identifying estates we are able to target areas for community development work and focus resources where they are best placed’.

We have an exciting community development agenda, which is opening doors for residents and giving them better employment prospects, better facilities and the chance to enjoy a better quality of life’ - Don Wood Chief Executive, London Quadrant Housing Trust

Regional maps were produced and distributed to all the estate officers in all the regions. The visual representation of the stock was powerful. The officers were very impressed by the maps and the increased spatial awareness of their regions. Zoë believes,‘the maps present a clear visual picture – far more of an impact than endless reams of spreadsheets that mean nothing!’

MapInfo’s ability to visualise their data clearly had been proven.

With all the background administration completed the first real project for L&Q was to represent supply and demand for tenant transfer. MapInfo clearly represented the supply and demand thematically: one map for tenants wishing to move, and another for property available. These maps clarified the question that was being asked. (see screen shots below).

Although MapInfo is only currently being used as a project system, L&Q see GIS playing a greater role in the future. As more people within L&Q become aware of the spatial visualisation and analytical capabilities GIS can offer, Zoë expects to receive more requests for GIS projects with MapInfo becoming a central operational system rather than just a project tool.

Key benefits delivered to date: *Clear visualisation of housing stock *Easy identification of estates (spatially grouped properties) *Ability to identify where to focus resources & provide community services *Ability to clearly communicate spatial information to executive committee & estate officers Possible future benefits: *MapInfo is the perfect platform to communicate information to Local Authorities (over 100 use MapInfo as their main GIS and most other GIS can read MapInfo data) *A powerful administrative tool to allow up to the minute information to be spatially displayed and communicated throughout the organisation via network, Intranet or Internet. *To communicate spatial information to tenants via the Internet or information points located in estates offices. 643 Words – More images available.

GDC
In 1989, GDC became a reseller of MapInfo, now the world's leading desktop mapping system. With over 500 organisations using GDC supplied products and systems, including Government Departments, Local Authorities, Health Authorities and Blue Chip organisations, GDC are the leading independent supplier of MapInfo technology. GDC are a focused GIS consultancy and developer offering specialist consultancy, bespoke training, bespoke development, data capture and data supply.

For Further Information contact:
Natalie Hart
GDC Ltd, 218 Regents Park Road, London, N3 3HP
Tel :020 8349 2151
Fax :020 8349 4095
Email : natalieh@graphdata.co.uk
www.graphdata.co.uk