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Cities Policy

Housing

Goldsmith Street, Norwich

Goldsmith Street, a social housing development in Norwich designed by Mikhail Riches with Cathy Hawley, won architecture’s prestigious Stirling Prize in 2019.

 

Our Housing priorities

Providing enough good quality, affordable and social housing is a perennial problem for our member cities. 

Living in safe and good quality housing can determine a lot in life – our job, our health, our finances. An ample supply of decent housing in our cities enables people to take up job and education opportunities, it makes us healthier, happier and more prosperous.

Tackling the housing crisis has far-reaching benefits particularly in Key Cities where there are economic prospects. Our policy priorities for housing and homelessness are as follows:

  • Reform of Right to Buy: Key Cities would like to see Government make permanent the 100% retention of Right to Buy receipts and be given more flexibility in spending them. The current structure is too rigid and more autonomy must be granted to Councils if they are to invest in building new much-needed housing in their local area.
  • Affordable Rent: Since 2011, affordable rents can be set at 80% of the local market rent. Key Cities would like to see this model amended so that instead of the 80% calculation, affordable rents will be based on the social rent in a given local area. This is of particular importance for cities with higher levels of deprivation alongside higher affluence.
  • Planning reform: Key Cities welcomes commitment to overhaul the planning system to ensure that the country achieves the necessary level of housebuilding to meet the needs of residents. This includes the reintroduction of housebuilding targets, which Key Cities has long advocated. However, how this reform is carried out is of importance to Key Cities and we would like to see changes that are informed by Councils if they are to be deliverable. 
  • Household Support Fund: Key Cities welcome the recent extension of the Household Support Fund, but wish to see its retention over the long-term.
  • Homelessness: Councils have been left with a harrowing legacy of homelessness and there is no quick fix. Many Key Cities’ budgets are crumbling under the sheer cost of temporary accommodation. Key Cities want to see an increase in funding to support the delivery and management of temporary accommodation. 

Portfolio Lead

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