Affordable Housing in London

Affordable Housing: Why more homes are needed?

Supply of new homes is failing to keep pace with demand

England is currently suffering from a huge housing shortage, especially in terms of social rented housing. This shortage is due to the fact that low rates of house building over several decades have failed to keep up with increasing demand. Large amounts of social housing stock have also been sold off under the Right to Buy and not replaced.

Housing demand has increased for several reasons, such as:

greater numbers of single person households
a population which is living for longer
increased levels of net immigration

Affordable Housing: Delivering the homes and communities people want

It is critical that any new homes benefit new and existing communities. This means building the right kind of homes, in the right places. At present, there is a shortage of decent, family-sized accommodation. It is also vital that a significant proportion of new housing is affordable, and this means building social housing for rent.

New homes must be desirable places to live. We want to avoid repeating mistakes of the 1960s and 1970s where the quality of housing developments was sometimes sacrificed in a drive to build homes quickly. New developments must include the necessary supporting infrastructure and services to create thriving communities, and should be built to high environmental standards.

FirstSteps

Affordable Housing: Where Does it come from?

The Government committed to a target of building three million new homes by 2020, this was back in 2007.

In the past, local authorities created affordable housing. As part of subsequent resident buy back schemes they have withdrawn from this undertaking.

The private sector has now been delivering affordable housing. The London Plan currently calls for 50% affordable housing on all new developments above 10 units. The reality maybe more like 35% subject to local authority.

Due to less new developments this has reduced the amount of affordable housing delivered.

Housing Associations are the not for profit organisations that own and manage the affordable housing. They also undertake development of 100% affordable housing schemes.

Affordable Housing: The Standards

Families in Affordable housing typically have much reduced choice. As such there are many safe guards for quality in affordable housing as definded by the Homes & Communities Agency.

Design and Quality Standards, including Life Times Homes and Code for Sustainable Design. These documents define minimum space standards, levels of access and sustainability, which relates to running costs and general impact on society of the development.