Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust appoints new Board Chair

Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT) has appointed Terrie Alafat CBE to its board. She succeeds interim Chair Angela Lockwood, CEO of North Star Housing, who will continue to serve on the board as Vice-Chair. 

Terrie will formally assume her role on the 7th of June. 

Terrie retired from the role of chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), at the end of 2019. Before joining CIH in 2015 Terrie was director of housing in the then Department for Communities and Local Government, with overall policy responsibility for the supply and management of housing across all tenures, housing growth, and homelessness prevention and support. 

Terrie began her career in the UK in social services policy development in a local authority and was director of housing and corporate strategy in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea until she moved to the civil service. Her academic background is in social policy and research. She was awarded a CBE in 2013 for services to homeless people.

Of her new role with JRHT Terrie said: “The operating environment for providers of care and social housing continues to be a challenging one. But I also believe that there are real opportunities for small housing associations, deeply rooted in their communities and working closely with residents to improve services. Which is why I am so excited to join JRHT, an organisation that combines a rich history with a desire to ensure its core values and purpose remain highly relevant now.”

Executive Director of JRHT, Chris Simpson, said: “At JRHT we are deeply committed to serving our communities – providing excellent housing and care services and building many more affordable homes over the years ahead.  I am delighted our Board will be led by Terrie, who brings such a wealth of experience and shares our deep commitment to the vital role that community housing trusts play in our social fabric”.