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We need more housing that people can truly afford

March 24, 2012 10:22 am

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The size of the London Assembly constituencies means that it is rare to find issues that resonate everywhere – but there are some. Fares, police, and housing come right at the top of that list. From the riverside tower blocks of Battersea and Putney, to the cottage estates of Morden, the lack of affordable housing is right at the top of the agenda for many people.

In his eight years as Mayor, Ken took a lead on housing, being as proactive as he could, trying to move the London Boroughs forward within an overall plan that aimed to meet the needs of Londoners. The current Mayor could not have taken a more different approach – housing starts have plummeted to a disgraceful level in London, and the latest newspeak on ‘affordable’ rents is really quite shocking – 80% of private market rents will not be affordable for many people – people who do absolutely vital jobs that keep our great city functioning.

It’s hard to see where current policies are taking us – reducing benefits in London mean that many families will simply be forced to move. Ken’s idea of a Lettings Agency might help with sorting out the private sector, but he is also keen to see council and housing associations building again across London – and using the new Mayoral powers to make this happen.

The campaign to see a body set up to oversee Housing for London, similar to Transport for London, seems sensible to me – apart from politicians who know ward and borough boundaries, most people want to live in an area they like, and don’t care if the part of Tooting or Streatham they live in is in Merton, Wandsworth or Lambeth.

We need more housing that people can truly afford, of all types and styles, in all parts of London. Controlling rents in the private sector, and improving the quality of properties rented out, is as essential as councils and housing associations building new properties. It’s a huge challenge, but one London can rise to, with Ken back as Mayor, taking a firm lead.

This post was originally published at the Homes for London blog

Related posts:

  1. A housing budget in a Pickle
  2. Where is the affordable housing?
  3. Housing: The Dog that didn’t bark is starting to bite
  4. Social housing is dead
  5. We cannot afford to cut the surplus housing benefit
  • treborc

    Some how I do not think to many poor people will believe labours the answer, and now Ken is back in the fold he will do as Miliband wants.

    We are short of housing all over the country, sadly Flint gave her view so has Miliband

  • Minister_sallyann

    I have to say I agree with Leonie Cooper, since being out and about campaiging for Leonie Cooper and Ken Livingstone I have seen places where I grew up  just become run down and housing developments increasing for private housing and majority of my colleagues and the voters I speak to that is one of their major concerns because the majority want to live in a Borough feel comfortable in. Also some of the voters would like to buy the housing that is being developed but they just cannot afford it. The other big thing is transport the fares are so expensive and it seems that the vulunerable, disabled and the seniors will be prisoners in their own homes if Boris wins and take away the Freedom Pass!!

  • http://twitter.com/EllieCRobinson Ellie Robinson

    Check out http://www.homesforlondon.org.uk for Leonie’s original blog and more details about the campaign (including fun videos!)

  • Landlord123

    NOT FOR PROFIT LETTING AGENCYKen has done everything he can to slur and damage the reputation of private Landlords. As an experienced politician, Ken should have invited London Landlords to  hear their concerns before coming up with a policy decision.  Ken has relied on the malicious gossip from the anti-landlord charity Shelter. Does Ken really think, he has any goodwill left with landlords? Does he think, I will use his ‘not-for-profit letting agency’ after all he has said and done.Shelter are not telling Ken the whole truth. Landlords are often the victim of bad tenants, and this is something which is ignored by Shelter and is the white elephant in the room.  Landlords are often victim of property damage, but is never recovered from the tenants.   Tenants often don’t pay the couple of month last month rent. So the exhausting the deposit. We have a culture, where tenants have little incentive to look after the property, because they know they can get their deposit back without a sweat. Unless, the losses exceed £800, it is not worth chasing the tenants (assuming they can be found). It if not uncommon for me landlord to write off to £2000 to £3000. Instead of a not-for-profit letting agency, how about a cracking down on bad tenants. The good tenants are paying for the bad ones.  People talk of  rent regulation. What is the point?  My understanding, housing benefit is frozen from April 2012 to April 2013, after which it will only go up by inflation.Nor are people aware, we will see a glut of one bedroom properties, when the 24-35s who are on benefits have to move from their one befroom flat to a single room HMOs….

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