Bedford Citizens' Housing Association (BCHA) was formed in 1957 for the purpose of "housing elderly people of limited means". The first house was opened in 1958 and further houses opened at approximately one per year until 1964. In 1963, it became evident that a number of tenants needed more care and arrangements were made to build a residential home to be called Bedford Charter House to house 48 people. In 1986 the Association took over Maydenbury Housing Association Limited acquiring eight further houses and a new purpose built Sheltered Housing scheme. BCHA completed a £12 million re-development of the Kimbolton Road site in January 2017 including the new Bedford Charter House, which was completed in 2015 and Oak Way House.