Supported housing guru passes away

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities

A leading supported housing specialist has passed away in his mid-50s.

Nigel Rogers’ long career in the sector saw him sit in the director role of Sitra between 1999 and 2006.

Mr Rogers had previously worked for the Housing Corporation, Stonham Housing Association, Alcohol Recovery Project, Opendoor Housing Trust and as a self-employed consultant associated with CVS Consultants.

Whilst at Stonham he gave evidence on supported housing to the Commons Select Committee Inquiry into Housing Need, and in 1998 published a major study of funding patterns in supported housing, 'Who Pays For What in Supported Housing?'.

During his time at Sitra - which champions excellence in housing, support and care - Mr Rogers was influential in the development of the Supporting People programme, working with central government, local authorities and providers.

He was Sitra’s representative on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s (ODPM) Supporting People Project Board and Practitioner Group.

In 2004, he was the member of the ODPM  (now the Department for Communities and Local Government) Beacon Council Panel with special responsibility for assessing Supporting People issues. His particular interests lay in the fields of funding, needs identification and service monitoring, particularly in crisis services.

After leaving Sitra, Nigel worked as an independent consultant and continued to develop major pieces of work around the identification of needs for supported housing, benchmarking the sector and ongoing involvement with providers and authorities about a range of issues associated with housing related support.

Sitra's current CEO, Vic Rayner, paid tribute to Mr Rogers on the company's website. She wrote: "Nigel was a larger than life character who wore the label of supported housing specialist with huge pride. His knowledge of the sector was unrivalled, widely recognised and admired – he was a great champion for the positive and critical impact made by housing related support on the lives and life chances of vulnerable people. As a pioneer of supported housing, Nigel was at his passionate and inspirational best when promoting, defending and fighting for our sector.

"Nigel will be sorely missed by the Board and staff at Sitra, and we send our love and condolences to his family and friends. Nigel was also a good friend to me and my family, and so it is with great sorrow that I write this message."

Mark Henderson, chief executive of Home Group, said: "It was with great sadness that we heard about the death of Nigel Rogers, who worked for three years as external relations manager for what was then Stonham Housing Association. Nigel was a knowledgeable and passionate member of our sector who will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time."

Rachael Byrne, executive director of care and support for Stonham, the care and support division of Home Group, added: "Nigel was much admired by those he worked with. His enthusiasm and dedication helped to shape the supported housing sector into what it is today."