CHA Welcomes Ade Adebayo to the board

After more than 40 years working in construction, property and local government, Ade Adebayo has joined the board of the Church Housing Association (CHA), bringing extensive experience in the housing sector and the built environment.

A Chartered Quantity Surveyor, Ade spent much of his career in local government, working across three London authorities over 27 years. He has worked in senior property roles, including Director of Corporate Property at Westminster City Council and Assistant Director of Asset Management and Capital Delivery at the London Borough of Sutton.

He has led teams and large, complex regeneration projects, including site assembly and multi-million-pound development agreements.

He also brings experience in procurement and programme management, alongside a particular interest and expertise in environmental sustainability and its impact on the built environment.

Ade said: “Throughout my career, I have seen the impact of housing need, from homelessness to the growing difficulty of finding accommodation that is safe, secure and affordable, even for people who are working.

“I think you have to be wilfully blind not to notice the level of homelessness, and the plight of people that are homeless in the country.”

Ade is now focused on a portfolio of non-executive directorships, including roles with housing organisations such as Accent Group and Sutton Housing Partnership.

“I’ve come to the view that the way I can be most effective, at this stage of my life, is to be involved with housing organisations at the non-executive director level. It gives me the opportunity to help, to influence, to inform and to support, and to be part of organisations that are tackling some of the issues that face us as a nation.”

Encouraged by a colleague to explore a non-executive role with Church Housing, Ade began to think about what the Church could bring to the social housing sector that was distinctive.

“I think the Church brings a unique approach to the social housing sector. Housing associations are already concerned with providing good homes and building communities, but the Church brings another element in decision making through its Christian values, its presence in communities and the land it holds.”

Ade has been part of the Church of England for more than 30 years and has served as a churchwarden at Emmanuel Church, Morden, in the Diocese of Southwark, for almost a decade.

“I have seen firsthand the challenges churches face with knowing what is possible with their land and buildings, and knowing where to begin.

“At my church, a new church was built next door, so the original church is now the church hall, which is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. There have been many complex conversations over the years about what the future of the land might look like.

“Knowing that there is an organisation like the Church Housing Association that can be part of the solution, and a Church Development Agency that can help you explore the options, I think there is a real role there.”

That same long-term view extends to the future of CHA itself, and what it can achieve as it grows.

“It would be great for the CHA to be managing a significant number of homes and supporting communities, while having reached a point where its own rental income is sufficient to sustain our operations.

“It would also be great to see much greater awareness of CHA across the wider Church of England.”