One of housing’s best-loved figures died last week (Wednesday 21 January) at the age of 61 following a fight with liver cancer.Brian Griffiths was a former President of the Chartered Institute of Housing and long-time Director of Housing Services at LHA (Leicester Housing Association) where he worked for 18 years before retiring in 2004.
During his time at LHA, he was involved in a rescue bid to prevent the sale of ex-British Coal homes in north Nottinghamshire and north east Derbyshire to private and absentee landlords, and in leading a 10 year campaign to win multi-million pound funding for improvements.
He also helped shape the association’s innovative tenant involvement strategy in the early 1990s, and pioneered the UK’s first choice-based lettings pilot, HomeChoice.
In 2000 he was elected President of the Chartered Institute of Housing, and through his Presidential appeal, raised £40,000 for ‘Shared Beginnings’ – a family literacy project for parents of pre-school children in deprived communities, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust.
Brian also gave freely of his time to Leicester homelessness charities SHARP and Leicester Nightshelter, and was a trustee of the Housing Resource Centre at the Harry Simpson Memorial Library in London, reflecting his lifelong support for the sharing of knowledge and best practice in the sector among practitioners and students alike.
He is survived by his widow, Iris, his son John and his daughter Nicola.
David Seviour, former Group Chief Executive of LHA-ASRA who recruited and worked alongside Brian for 18 years said:
“Brian was the social conscience of LHA, a fine ambassador for the association and a credit to the profession. He was a great colleague and a longstanding friend and will be missed across the housing world.”31 OCTOBER 2008