Dr Tom Archer BA (Hons), MSc, PhD
Senior Research Fellow
Summary
Tom Archer is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. Specialising in housing and community development, his work focuses on the affordability and supply of housing, and the collective ownership of physical assets. Tom has a background in policy and housing delivery, and his work aims to improve policymaking and the use of government and charitable funding. Tom’s recent work has centred on community-led housing, housing for older people, community ownership of assets and alternative housing tenures.
About
Tom has 20 years’ experience in research and policy roles concerning housing and community development. He has worked on frontline housing issues within local authorities and housing associations, advised central government on a range of community-related policies, and led large-scale research projects in the housing field.
Tom's research is inter-disciplinary, focusing on housing affordability, supply and alternative forms of provision and management. He has a keen interest in the role of community organisations in housing development, advising government on funding and policy programmes, and leading major reviews and evaluations in the community-led housing field. Tom has written extensively on the issue of community ownership, co-authoring influential research which informed the development of the UK government’s Community Ownership Fund.
In his doctoral research Tom provided unique insights into the collective ownership of housing in England and Canada, exploring some of the causal processes which affect the development of these initiatives. His recent academic work has centred on the causal connections between collectivised forms of housing provision and their affordability. In addition, Tom has co-authored articles on the private housebuilding industry, revealing important trends in profit making and value extraction from within this sector.
Specialist areas of interest
- Community-led housing
- Housing affordability
- Housing supply
- The UK housebuilding industry
- Community ownership of assets
Teaching
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Research
- Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research
- Social and Economic Research Institute
2023-2026 Evaluation of the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP). Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
2022-2023 Exploring a more inclusive model of cohousing. Nuffield Foundation.
2022-2023 The Affordability of Community Led Housing. The Nationwide Foundation.
2019-2031 Social Impact Audit. Man GPM.
2019-2022 Homes in Community Hands Evaluation. Power to Change.
2021 The National Village Halls Survey. Action for Communities in Rural England.
2020 Research into the early construction messages emerging from the Innovative Housing Programme. Welsh Government.
2019-2021 Evaluation and Learning Partner. Nationwide Foundation.
2018-2019 An economic assessment of assets in community ownership. Power to Change.
2018-2019 Older People’s Housing, Care and Support Needs in South Cambridgeshire. Cambridgeshire County Council.
2018-2019 The Future of the CLT Fund. CAF Venturesome.
2018-2019 The Sheffield and Rotherham Strategic Housing Market Assessment. Sheffield City Council and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.
2018 Effective housing for people on low incomes in the Welsh Valleys. Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
2017-18 Housing, integration and segregation: A rapid literature review. Department for Communities and Local Government.
Publications
Journal articles
Archer, T., & Parr, S. (2024). Much to do about (almost) everything: The new Labour government and the unfolding housing crisis. People, Place and Policy, 18 (2), 104-114. http://doi.org/10.3351/ppp.2024.3574665336
Archer, T., & Cole, I. (2021). The financialisation of housing production: exploring capital flows and value extraction among major housebuilders in the UK. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 36, 1367-1387. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10901-021-09822-3
Archer, T. (2020). The mechanics of housing collectivism: How forms and functions affect affordability. Housing Studies, 37 (3). http://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2020.1803798
Bennett, E., Langmead, K., & Archer, T. (n.d.). Editorial: Special issue – Austere relations: The changing relationship between the Third Sector, the State and the Market in an era of austerity. People, Place and Policy Online, 9 (2), 100-102. http://doi.org/10.3351/ppp.0009.0002.0001
Archer, T., & Cole, I. (n.d.). Still not plannable? Housing supply and the changing structure of the housebuilding industry in the UK in 'austere' times. People, Place and Policy Online, 8 (2), 97-112. http://doi.org/10.3351/ppp.0008.0002.0002
Book chapters
Archer, T., Catherine, H., & Stephen Hill, (2020). Messy is Good! Origins and Evolution of the CLT Movement in England. In On Common Ground International Perspectives on the Community Land Trust. (First). Terra Nostra Press
Reports
Archer, T., & Wilson, I. (2023). The Affordability of Community-Led Homes: Research Summary. Sheffield: Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/the-affordability-of-community-led-homes-research-summary
Archer, T. (2023). The Affordability of Community-Led Homes - Case Study: The Stretham Model. Sheffield: Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/the-affordability-of-community-led-homes-case-study
Arbell, Y., & Archer, T. (2023). Housing 21: a more inclusive model of cohousing? Findings from a one-year study of a Housing 21 cohousing project. Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/housing-21-a-more-inclusive-model-of-cohousing
Archer, T., & Cole, I. (2023). The Invisible Hand that Keeps on Taking. Value Extraction from large housebuilders and its impact on the UK housing system. Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. http://doi.org/10.7190/cresr.2023.0182285580
Archer, T. (2023). Lessons in community led housing: (1) for funders and policymakers. Power to change. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/lessons-in-community-led-housing-1
Archer, T., Arbell, Y., Moore, T., Mullins, D., & Rafalowicz-Campbell, M. (2022). Homes in community hands: year three evaluation report. Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/homes-in-community-hands-year-three-evaluation-report
Moore, T., Archer, T., & Mullins, D. (2021). How to enable community-led housing - learning brief 1: enabling and catalysing community-led housing. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/how-to-enable-community-led-housing-learning-brief-1---enabling-and-catalysing
Archer, T., Moore, T., & Mullins, D. (2021). How to enable Community-Led Housing - Learning Brief 2: Building Positive Relationships with Hub Stakeholders. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/how-to-enable-community-led-housing-learning-brief-2---enabling-and-catalysing
Archer, T., & Mccarthy, L. (2021). Community-led housing and the speed of development: briefing note. Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/community-led-housing-and-the-speed-of-development-briefing-note
Archer, T., Moore, T., Mullins, D., & Arbell, Y. (2021). Homes in Community Hands: Year Two evaluation report. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/homes-in-community-hands-year-two-evaluation-report
Archer, T., & Skropke, C. (2021). The Impact of Covid-19 on Village and Community Halls in England - Findings Report. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/the-impact-of-covid19-on-village--and-community-halls-in-england-findings-report
Ambrose, A., Archer, T., & Bimpson, E. (2020). Research to identify early lessons emerging from the Innovative Housing Programme: Summary. Welsh Government. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/research-to-identify-early-lessons-emerging-from-the-innovative-housing-programme-summary
Ambrose, A., Archer, T., & Bimpson, E. (2020). Research to identify early lessons emerging from the Innovative Housing Programme. Welsh Government. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/research-to-identify-early-lessons-emerging-from-the-innovative-housing-programme
Archer, T., Moore, T., & Mullins, D. (2020). Homes in Community Hands: Baseline Evaluation Report. Power to Change. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/homes-in-community-hands-baseline-evaluation-report
Archer, T., Parkes, S., & Speake, B. (2020). The English Village and Community Hall Survey 2020. Sheffield: Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/the-english-village-and-community-hall-survey-2020
Archer, T., Wilson, I., Parkes, S., Batty, E., & Harris, C. (2019). Our assets, our future: the economics, outcomes and sustainability of assets in community ownership. Power to Change. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/our-assets-our-future-the-economics-outcomes-and-sustainability-of-assets-in-community-ownership
Archer, T., Crisp, R., Ferrari, E., Green, S., Mccarthy, L., Moore, T., ... Sacranie, H. (2019). Scaling up social lettings? Scope, impact and barriers. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/scaling-up-social-lettings-scope-impact-and-barriers
Archer, T., Green, S., & Fisher, C. (2019). Helping Communities Build: A review of the Community Land Trust Funds and lessons for future support. CAF Venturesome. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/helping-communities-build-a-review-of-the-community-land-trust-funds-and-lessons-for-future-support
Moore, T., Mullins, D., He, B., Thompson, M., Claassen, C., & Archer, T. (2018). The Urban CLT Project Evaluation. The National Community Land Trust Network. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/the-urban-clt-project-evaluation
Archer, T., Green, S., & Wilson, I. (2018). Effective housing for people on low incomes in the Welsh Valleys. Joseph Rowntree Foundation. https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/effective-housing-people-low-incomes-welsh-valleys
Archer, T., & Stevens, M. (2018). Housing, integration and segregation: A rapid literature review. Sheffield: Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/housing-integration-and-segregation-a-rapid-literature-review
Archer, T., Green, S., Leather, D., Mccarthy, L., Wilson, I., Robinson, D., & Tait, M. (2018). Older people's housing, care and support needs in Greater Cambridge 2017-2036. Sheffield: Sheffield Hallam University. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/older-peoples-housing-care-and-support-needs-in-greater-cambridge-2017-2036
Archer, T., & Cole, I. (2016). Profits before Volume? Major housebuilders and the crisis of housing supply. Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research. https://www.shu.ac.uk/centre-regional-economic-social-research/publications/profits-before-volume-major-housebuilders-and-the-crisis-of-housing-supply
Theses / Dissertations
Skropke, C. (2023). Community assets in changing times: Exploring ownership, Covid-19 and the opportunity context. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Archer, T., Ferrari, E., & Wilson, I. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00562
Archer, T. (2016). Collective realism: exploring the development and outcomes of urban housing collectives. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Robinson, D.
Postgraduate supervision
Tom supervises PhDs on a broad range of housing and property related issues, including community-led approaches to housing and regeneration and community ownership of assets. He currently supervises Rowan MacKay’s PhD ‘Relationships for change: Leveraging collective agency in the production of housing in London’.
Media
Tom is a researcher at the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR). He is a specialist in housing affordability, supply and collective ownership of assets. He is a respected author on UK housing issues and the community and voluntary sector.