The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) figures show affordable housing starts falling dramatically during the first year of the new affordable housing programme. This is the first negotiated by Boris Johnson, the previous programme was negotiated by his predecessor.

The figures come at a time when in <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>Westminster</place></city>:

·         There are 9350 people on the council house waiting list

·         Zero affordable homes were started in 2011/12 compared with 318 last year

·         Last year 602 homeless families were accepted by the council

The HCA statistics follow the publication of figures last month by the Department for Communities and Local Government that showed only 780 new affordable homes were started in the capital between April and June 2012 – the lowest quarterly figure for a decade. 

Local Labour <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>London</place></city> Assembly Member Murad Qureshi said:

“Boris Johnson has claimed great credit for administering the affordable housing programme he inherited from his predecessor. Now it’s clear his own record is less than impressive, with affordable housing starts falling off a cliff.

We are in the midst of a housing crisis in <place w:st=”on”><city w:st=”on”>London</city></place>, exacerbated by a chronic shortage of affordable housing. In <city w:st=”on”><place w:st=”on”>Westminster</place></city> alone there are 9350 families on the council housing waiting list. What is the Mayor doing for these people?

It is unacceptable that the Mayor has allowed affordable house building to fall so dramatically, with zero homes started this year compared to 318 last year.

“The Mayor’s failure to build more affordable housing is contributing to the rising cost of living, where private sector rents increased by 8.8 per cent for the poorest Londoners last year and energy and transport fares are increasing. Londoners need the Mayor to get a grip of the new programme and to get delivering new affordable homes.”

Ends

Notes

1.      Murad Qureshi is a Labour London wide Assembly Member.

2.       HCA and DCLG affordable housing start statistics can be found here: http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/sites/default/files/aboutus/national_housing_statistics_june_2012_tables_rev1.xls and here: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/2145739.xls 3.       Homelessness and council waiting list figures can be found here: http://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/housing_databank/results?area_selection=H%2C00AB%2C00AC%2C00AD%2C00AE%2C00AG%2C00AF%2C00AA%2C00AH%2C00AJ%2C00AK%2C00AL%2C00AM%2C00AN%2C00AP%2C00AQ%2C00AR%2C00AS%2C00AT%2C00AU%2C00AW%2C00AX%2C00AY%2C00AZ%2C00BB%2C00BC%2C00BA%2C00BD%2C00BE%2C00BF%2C00BG%2C00BH%2C00BJ%2C00BK&data_selection=A1%2CA6&selected_min=2000&selected_max=2012