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ODPM permanent secretary Mavis McDonald led a crowd of housing sector people in the New Year's Honours List – from top civil servants to a long-serving gardener.

McDonald, who has headed the department since June 2002 and previously had the same role at the Cabinet Office, became a dame.

Elsewhere in government, there was an MBE for Valerie Montero, an executive officer at the Homelessness Directorate, while Jane Henderson, regional director of the Government Office for the South West and chair of the steering group for the South-west's regional housing body, received the Companion of the Order of the Bath.

There were also gongs in local government with Zulfiqar Ali Mulak, head of housing needs at Hackney council in London, receiving an MBE for services to homeless people. He said: "It's the culmination of 20 years of work. I'm very happy."

Telford & Wrekin council chief executive Michael Frater got a CBE and Anthony Williams, deputy leader of Vale of Glamorgan council, an MBE.

Honours for housing association figures included OBEs for Richard Clark, chief executive of Prime Focus and chair of the National Housing Federation, and Andrew Williamson, managing director of Hastoe Housing Association. Williamson said: "I'm really pleased for Hastoe staff. We have a great bunch here."

There were also OBEs for David Duly, director of Habinteg Housing Association in Ulster, and Samuel Harper, outgoing chair of Glasgow Housing Association.

Alison McFeat, vice chair of Abertay Housing Association, got an MBE, as did Victor Atkins, supervisor gardener at the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust. Atkins started work with the trust aged 15 and stayed with them for 50 years until he retired in December.

There was also an MBE for Helen Holdsworth, chair of the Campaign for Fair Rents since it began in 1990. The campaign won a rent cap for private landlords.

Two members of staff from older people's housing organisation Abbeyfield were on the honours list: Thomas Johnstone, former chair of its Northern Ireland regional council, received an OBE, and Diana Benson, house chair of its scheme in Beaminster, Dorset, received an MBE.

Alison Nimmo, former chief executive of regeneration agency Sheffield One, received a CBE for services to regeneration and Anthony Dunnett, outgoing chief executive of the South-East England Development Agency, was awarded a CBE for his contributions to economic development in the region. He said: "It's a reflection of the tremendous work the team we built at SEEDA was able to deliver."

Charity staff also took honours. Una Barry, chief executive of the De Paul Trust, received an MBE and Toni Letts, chief executive of Croydon YMCA Housing Association, was given an OBE.

David Behan, chief inspector of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, received a CBE. A former director of social services at Greenwich council, where he helped set up England's first PFI care home, he is also a former president of the Association of Directors of Social Services.

Professor Janet Ford, former director of York University's Centre for Housing Policy, got an OBE. Louis Armstrong, chief executive of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, got a CBE.