waiting list for affordable housing, its annual report reveals.

And Government will soon be able to better gauge the depth of the housing crisis and modify policy, BHC chairman Larry Burchall said with the formation of a special team from Massachusetts Institute of Technology developing the necessary statistical tools.

1999 was a year of great changes for the Corporation, with the amount owed to it increasing by nearly $500,000 to $2.2 million and 72 units being added, bringing its stock to 395.

Rental revenue increased by nearly $9 million to $37.1 million and the amount borrowed by the Corporation jumped to $40 million as $11 million more was used to begin Government's plans for more affordable houses.

General manager Raymonde Dill and Mr. Burchall were both upbeat about the Corporations' progress, particularly the 100 Homes Project and the Vacant and Derelict home rehabilitation programme.

By the end of March, the BHC intends to have 450 homes in its rental stock, which represents five percent of the national rental stock in the 1991 Census.

The board believes the two programmes will go a long way to satisfying the need for a steady supply of rental units at a lower financial cost and lower environmental impact, particularly without new construction.

For the first time the BHC will borrow money for its projects at favourable interest rates.

It is a move justified by the "very real contribution to the common national good'' Mr. Burchall wrote, saying adequate housing means social stability.

A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led by Professor Henry Pollakowski will collect information and develop monitoring tools to assist the BHC in making policy.

The BHC currently has 395 units providing housing for 1,400 people, an increase of 72 units from 1998.

A subset of the 650 families waiting for help from the BHC is the urgent list which averages 120 families.

Rent levels remained steady with a maximum of $1,600 in for a three bedroom unit which is generally $200 below the market average.

Adding the 31 houses added since April 2000, the BHC has housed 95 new families. Over the last six months the urgent list has averaged 120 people.

In all, 19 houses were added at Southside, nine were from the Vacant and Derelict programme, 11 through private sector rentals, three from the Housing Trust for elderly tenants and 22 were repurchased or recycled Corporation houses.

To ensure value for money, the BHC continues to support social programmes to get tenants working. Tenants are also given additional support through money management, home care, and family planning skills training.

Within the Corporation itself, Mr. Burchall promises there will be greater use of technology, a staff reorganisation, and promotion of greater production by staff to avoid taking on additional staff.