This project was commissioned by the Homes and Communities Agency, and subcontracted to CCHPR from the University of Sheffield. Using existing data sources, the purpose of this project was to provide a strong evidence base to show what the provision of affordable housing built over the preceding 20 years looked like, and whether it was significantly different compared with past provision. In particular, it explored:

• what the actual provision of affordable housing looked like;
• how it had changed over time particularly over the previous 20 years compared to the past, eg post war legacy;
• where new building was happening;
• the types of housing that were being built;
• whether current affordable housing provision were physically better places to live in;
• how these fitted into the wider tenure and socio-economic geography of England; and
• whether there was any evidence on satisfaction of tenants and residents of new vs old affordable housing provision. For example, to what extent did tenants and residents perceive current affordable housing as more desirable and better able to meet their needs and aspirations than in the past.