Well where is the fanfare? Where are the homes? Where is the passion, the drive, the determination to have truly affordable homes for local people? Gone with the funding, gone with local capacity, gone with Government policy that actively seeks to undermine the poor in our society. Just for the record I am a dyed in the wool middle of the road activist. I am completely bi-partisan and consider myself to be on the the conservative (small 'c') side of liberal. In other words I often, to my shame, sit on the fence.
But this Blog is about affordable housing, specifically rural affordable homes for local people in Berkshire villages. So on the eve of celebrating 'Rural Housing Week' you may well be asking what are we celebrating? The last rural exception scheme to be developed in Berkshire was the very lovely scheme in Woolhampton which opened its doors back in early 2015. At this moment in time there are no other developments in the pipeline.
In Berkshire communities are so concerned about development site allocations that they have forgotten that real people need homes, and they need homes that they can afford, and sometimes they need to be near family members who can help them in their old age, or help them raise their children, or maybe they need homes near their work, because if people can't afford to live near their work they certainly are unlikely to be able to afford to commute very far.
Despite this Government's insistence that 'affordable' means homes to buy. The reality on the ground is that many people on average or below salaries (that means 50% of the population) cannot afford local rents or cannot find local properties to rent. If you have a family, then size matters, and prices are of course higher for family size homes.
Inside Housing recently reported on the release of HCA statistics showing a drop of 19% in affordable housing starts in 2015/16 compared to the previous year. Reflected in these figures is a raise in starts for shared ownership homes and a drop in starts of affordable rents (80% of open market rents). Sadly development of homes for a 'social' rent are at an all time low, and given that these tenures are no longer supported with government grant are likely to be relegated to history.
We will shortly be getting the new Starter Homes regulations. It is expected that Local Authorities will have to make provision for 20% of all development sites to be this new tenure, which provides homes for sale to first time buyers with an 20% discount on open market value. This is a nice thing for potential first time buyers, but the 20% will come at the expense of other affordable housing thresholds on development sites, so we can expect fewer affordable homes being developed in the future.
To add to shortages in tenure types, the 1st of April 2016 also saw changes in Local Housing Allowance (Housing Benefit) to the under 35's. (Considered to be 'younger' people) Housing Benefit. Please remember most people who receive Housing Benefit work, but struggle to pay their rent. However if you are childless and under 35 you ae now only eligible for 'shared accommodation rate'. In other words, at 35 and under you are expected to live in a room in a shared house. Otherwise known as a House in Multiple Occupancy of HMO. There are not many of these in rural villages, and to be frank I am not sure they are very desirable.
In my surveys, the greatest need is always for rented accommodation, although many people aspire to home ownership, they often have unrealistic ideas of the income and savings required to access a home of your own. Sadly the age of demand is increasing, but there are many so called 'younger' people who are desperate for a home of their own.
These are hard times and there can be no doubt that people must be realistic about their housing aspirations, but likewise we as a community must be prepared to provide realistic options to meet those needs.
Am I celebrating Rural Housing Week? Sorry no, but I am still here and I am happy to help any community that wants information about how they can help local people into housing. Contact me at CCB on 0118 9612000, or by email: arlene.kersley@ccberks.org.uk
Arlene, I agree with much of your blog; however, I do not think that you should cast aspertions on houses of multiple occupancy (that they are undesirable). I spent much of my twenties in one (AKA a settlement) in London, and both of my unmarried sons live in HMOs. Living with other single people has advantages in terms of co-operation, interaction, and mutual help, as well as being economical with space. Alan
ReplyDeleteHi Alan - you are absolutely right, HMOs serve a valuable function. My comment referred more to their limited use in rural villages, where traditionally housing was provided as 'tied' to employment on big estates. There are some examples of HMOs being used in this way, for example for stable lads in the horse racing industry. But if I were to propose an HMO on a rural exception site in my rural villages I think it unlikely it would be welcomed with open arms, further there is no funding mechanism to develop HMOs on a rural exception site. Maybe there should be.
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