History
In 1901, wealthy financier Samuel Lewis left an endowment of £670,000 (equivalent to £30 million today) to set up a charitable trust to provide housing for the poor.
The Samuel Lewis Housing Trust completed its first properties in 1910 at Liverpool Road in Islington, and went on to build other large schemes in London.
In 2001, the Trust celebrated its centenary year and its many past achievements. At the same time, it decided to move forward under the new title of Southern Housing Group.
Southern Housing Group has a firmly established strategy of sustained and considered growth. A non-charitable arm, Southern Housing Home Ownership (now Southern Home Ownership), was developed to provide a range of low-cost home ownership and intermediate housing options.
We also formed a wholly-owned subsidiary, Southern Space, to develop homes for outright sale. Surpluses from the proceeds of property sales go back to the Group, providing a much-needed independent source of funding.
In 2002, 2005 and 2006, three organisations joined the Group: South Wight Housing Association, Isle of Wight Housing Association and James Butcher Housing Association.