Laurie Corzett’s Post

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 In March 2023, Boston Borough Council secured Government funding through the LAHF scheme to purchase family-sized homes, providing vital support to Afghan and Ukrainian families resettling in the UK. Twelve properties have been occupied, with one used for short-term accommodation, and many families are now contributing to their new communities through employment and training. Councillor John Baxter, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said, "The funding enabled Boston to play a crucial role in supporting families who have endured unimaginable hardship," while also easing pressure on local housing services. The properties will become part of the borough’s permanent housing supply, addressing future housing challenges. Click the link below to read more and follow Lincolnshire In Focus for more regional updates. #LAHF #Resettlement #BostonBoroughCouncil #CommunitySupport #HousingSolutions https://lnkd.in/dWGciNGe

Empowering Local Government: Angela Rayner MP for Ashton ’s Vision for a Stronger Community Partnership Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government, Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, addressed the Local Government Association (LGA) Conference with a firm commitment to reforming the relationship between central and local government. In her speech, Rayner pledged substantial changes to funding, decision-making, and local government autonomy, citing the need for a collaborative rather than top-down approach to local governance. To find out more about 👉 Tackling the financial crisis head-on 👉 Housing, homelessness, and accountability 👉 Stand on standards and safety for councillors 👉 Devolution and local empowerment Read below https://lnkd.in/gHuQn76X #LGA #Housing #Communities #localgovernment #finances #ukpolitics #politicsuk #ukpolicy #devolutions #local Chamber UK seeks to connect the council to the commons, if you are a local councillor, wanting to spotlight a specific issue that matters most to you and your residents, please email [email protected].

The Women’s Housing Company (WHC) welcomes the NSW government’s budget announcement to provide a huge investment in public housing and, especially, for women fleeing domestic violence.   This initiative combined with the domestic violence package recently announced is a big step in the right direction. WHC is at the coal face and deals with victims of domestic violence on a daily basis. Women need more housing, resources and services so that they are able to leave dangerous and violent situations to protect themselves and their children.   The building of additional social housing is essential because housing is integral to a strong functioning society. Without shelter it is very hard to get ahead in life.   The additional funds for public housing, including addressing maintenance costs, combined with the planning reforms introduced by the NSW government, should pave the way for more housing opportunities across the public, business and NGO sectors.   Sydney is now considered one of the most expensive cities to live in and without government intervention, whether state or Commonwealth, access to housing will never be a given. Alice Spizzo, Chair, WHC Catherine Stuart, Alice Spizzo, Jodie Blackledge, Tasha Burrell, Sharanya Srikanth, Stacey Hooper, Alice Robinson, Vivienne Skinner, Katrina Smithson

Shortage of affordable housing in Dorset now ‘a crisis’. Here, David Cracklen, Director of AJC Group, comments on the lack of affordable housing in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, following reports that individuals on middle incomes are struggling to afford their rent, and says government needs to enforce positive changes as a matter of urgency. You can read David's comment piece here: https://lnkd.in/eMJAFSZj #housing #housingcrisis #affordablehousing #affordablehousingcontactor #comment #councils #housingassociations #smes #housebuilders

Capital Letters, alongside 19 parliamentarians and 5 housing organisations have signed a letter to the Housing Minister suggesting 5 simple actions to help bring the 265,000 empty homes in England back into use. 1) Increase Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) flexibility to enable a greater portion of the funding to be used to bring empty homes back into use – currently this is limited to 10% outside of London. 2) Reform Empty Homes Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) so that councils can use them to address empty homes after six months rather than two years. 3) Introduce a national empty homes strategy as part of the Government’s long-term housing strategy, due next year, and a contribution to the target to deliver 1.5m homes. 4) Establish a statutory duty for councils to undertake empty homes work. 5) Reform probate to end the situation whereby some properties are exempted from the Empty Homes Premium – an additional tax councils can charge on empty properties – indefinitely.  The letter follows a hugely successful MPs Roundtable event in November which was chaired by Paula Barker MP and organised by Capital Letters and Crisis you can read the full text here - https://lnkd.in/et8v-XeZ #parliament #ukhousing #emptyhomes #housingcrisis #solutions #ukhousingmarket Sue Edmonds, Matt Downie MBE, Adam Cliff, The Empty Homes Network, Action on Empty Homes, Jonathan Tame

From preventing evictions to creating affordable housing, Measure ULA shows how targeted taxation can address the housing crisis. So far, the tax has helped fund the development of about 800 new affordable homes in LA, and it has helped provide rental assistance to more than 4,000 households. https://bit.ly/3POrGHi #MeasureULA #AffordableHousing #LosAngeles #RealEstateTax

Some of you might find this article interesting, primarily as it covers the current contentious issue of affordable housing. To put the article in context, Venezuela has about 29 million people. https://lnkd.in/dUvYbUQF

Last week the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) released statistics that highlight issues with housing in England. MHCLG stats showed that: ➡️ As of 31st March 2024, the numbers of households in temporary accommodation in England (117,450) and children in temporary accommodation (151,630) were both at all-time highs, having risen 12% and 15% respectively since one year before. ➡️ The number of people in B&Bs and hostels – the most expensive and least suitable type of temporary accommodation – had risen by 29%, while the number of households staying in temporary accommodation for longer than the 6 week legal maximum was up by 89%. ➡️ The situation was particularly bad in London, where people are seven times as likely to be in temporary accommodation as they are in the rest of England. The MoJ stats showed that: ➡️ Between April and June 2024, more than 8,000 English landlords started Section 21 eviction proceedings in the courts and almost 3,000 households were evicted by bailiffs through Section 21. ➡️ These numbers represent an 11% increase in Section 21 court proceedings and a 31% increase in Section 21 bailiff evictions compared to one year before. Find more on these stats here: bit.ly/3YCr8Ku bit.ly/4dDgF5J The real number of people evicted by Section 21 between April and June is likely much higher than the MoJ numbers indicate, since most people served Section 21 notices leave before the case goes to court, and so do not appear in the statistics. The insecurity and unaffordability of private rented accommodation is a huge driver of homelessness, and has greatly contributed to the temporary accommodation disaster we are seeing. The government can stop the crisis from continuing to get worse by banning Section 21 evictions as soon as possible at the same time as taking longer-term measures to expand the supply of social housing and bring down rents.

As alistair mcintosh reminded us in a recent post of his - the focus by this Labour government on investment for new Council housing comes in the centenary year of "The Housing (Financial Provisions) Act" - known more commonly as the "Wheatley Housing Act" which was a great legacy of the first Labour administration . John Wheatley, an Irishman, was appointed as Health Secretary. Wheatley sought to draft a piece of legislation to remedy the social housing crisis (de ja vu?) . This Act allowed central government to provide subsidies to build public housing, creating employment in a depressed construction industry and provided homes at affordable rates for low-income families.... sounds like a plan? (#backtothefuture) .  Wheatley was born in Co. Waterford, Ireland but received his political education in the heartlands of the Scottish Labour movement. Perhaps no surprise then, that prior to 1924 in his Glasgow constituency, Wheatley fronted a rent strike. Today, as the gathering austerity storms rise again and I hear whispers of social landlords being referred to again as "subsidy junkies" - not being helped by some English CEOs advocating that affordable homes can be delivered with no subsidy (what about investment requirement in their current stock?) - can the " Scotland factor " lead the way again ? Hopefully yes! - if there is a Barnett consequential of this Westminster announcement in this article and the affordable housing budget is reinstated to its previously planned levels.

Our Broken Housing System: Wesley Mission is a Community Housing Provider (Tier 2). We enjoy the privilege of serving just over 500 tenancies with more than 700 residents. Most of our tenancies are social housing or crisis/transitional housing. As a Housing Provider at the sharp edge of the system, we see the housing crisis Australia is facing in sharp relief. Here are some stats that tell just a sliver of the story: In September 2023 we were housing 6% of those who applied with us. Just six months later, in March 2024, that number has dropped to 3%. In August 2023 we had 315 applicants on our wait list. In March 2024 we have 417. We will soon have more people on our wait list than we house. In March 2024, more than 90% of those we housed in crisis/transitional housing and general social housing were homeless when they applied. There is so much stress and suffering behind these statistics. The hard truth is that tinkering around the edges will not fix a broken and inequitable system that has been decades in the making. Root and branch reform, including of our tax system, will be necessary. Those of us who’ve benefited hugely from the system as it is, effectively accumulating taxpayer subsidised wealth, must be ready to give up some of those advantages if we do believe in access and equity for all - and that safe and affordable housing is a fundamental human right. #housing #homelessness