If London’s backlog of unmet need for social rented housing were to be addressed within the next ten years, London boroughs would together need to be building 40,000 new social rented homes per year. But less than 5,000 new homes either for social or ‘affordable’ rent were built in London last year.
These are seven things LTF Members think the London Mayor Sadiq Khan should do to help turn this around:
- Set strong policy on protecting existing social rented homes from demolition and neglect.
- End the use of ‘affordable’ housing grant for replacing existing, structurally sound social rented homes that are lined up for demolition.
- Use ‘affordable’ housing grant exclusively for the delivery of additional social rented homes, not propping up a failed housing market via delivery of homes for part sale.
- Ensure public land that is available for development is used solely for delivering social rented homes alongside necessary supportive infrastructure, for example, through community asset transfer.
- Set an intention in a London Plan target to clear the backlog of need for new social rented homes in London (which comprises 78% of the total backlog) in 10 not 25 years.
- Use his powers to actively monitor and challenge boroughs that fail (some consistently) to deliver the social rented homes needed in London.
- Join LTF and the Chartered Institute of Housing in lobbying for the suspension of the Right to Buy at least until the backlog of unmet need for new homes for social rent has been cleared.