housing+-+homelessness+-+Affordable+%

=HARINGEY’S AFFORDABLE AND SOCIAL HOUSING=


 * THE LOW % OF NEW HOUSING COMPLETIONS**


 * The statistics that show that those most in need are denied access to new housing being built**...


 * Statistics regarding targets for new housing: specifically the exceptionally low percentage of social housing completions in Haringey in the years 2004-6**

- The London Plan’s annual target for affordable housing as a % of newly completed homes is 50%. - The London Plan’s annual target for social housing as a % of newly completed homes is 35%.

Haringey adopts these targets, which indeed may be thought to be very low percentages, considering the numbers of people on waiting lists and in temporary accommodation (over 10,000 households). Further, in Haringey (similar to other boroughs) 'affordable' is defined as //'affordable by households on incomes of less than £49,000 (as at Sept 2005).'// From this point it’s not hard to conclude that social housing is the only genuinely 'affordable' housing, ie affordable to the households in most need.

Much residential development throughout Haringey (and throughout London) is highly unpopular and controversial because land is limited, and the amount of social infrastructure we all need is inadequate (health and education services, open space and play areas, community centres etc). Worse, much of this infrastructure – vital for ensuring sustainable communities - is gradually being sold off for even greater numbers of homes, often in highly dense and poor quality developments.

We are told that this has to be done in order to ‘solve the housing problem’. But does it? What kind of housing is actually being built?


 * __In 2004__** According to the Council's own official figures, extracted from the 2004/5 Unitary Development Plan Annual Monitoring Review Report p12 (para 4.12), only 22% of completions were social housing.

//'In 2004, 285 affordable housing units were completed in the borough* which represents 34% of all housing completions. Of these affordable housing completions, 65% were social rented units and 35% were shared ownership / intermediate units.'//


 * ie 34% affordable out of a total of 834 dwellings (p2, 2nd bullet pt) - this is well below the 50% target
 * ie 22% social housing (185 dwellings) out of a total of 834 - this is well below the 35% target


 * __In 2005__** According to the Council's own official figures, only 11% of completions were social housing.

Their UDP AMR reports that: //'In 2005/6 624 dwellings were completed in the borough...'// of which //'201 affordable housing units were completed, which represents 32%* of all housing completions. Of these completions, 36%// //were social rented units and 64% were intermediate units.'//


 * ie 32% affordable homes is scandalously below 50% target
 * ie 36% out of the 201 affordable completions, means a total of only 72 homes or 11% of completions being social rented homes - this is scandalously below the 35% target


 * __In 2006__** According to the Council's own official figures, '//There were 1067 net additional dwellings in 2006/7'//. Of these //'312 affordable housing units were completed'// - ie only 30% of the net additional dwellings. It then goes on to add that //'of these completions, 75% were social rented units'// - ie only 22.5% of completions were social housing.

A further major concern to anyone is that, in Haringey //'The recommended mix for affordable housing developments is: 26% 3-bed, and 32% 4-bed.'// Yet the 2006/7 UDP AMR Report states: //'Of the total housing completions in 2006/7 94% were one and two bed units. Of the affordable housing completed in 2006-7 only 11% were 3 or 4 bedrooms.'//


 * __Some Conclusions__**

The Council's own official figures for the latest three recorded years show that only 22%, 11% and 22.5% of homes built in Haringey were available to those in real need. They are being excluded from the overwhelming majority of homes being built, when the homes should be being built for them. We should support residents associations in their campaigns to defend and improve local services, amenities and open spaces, and in their efforts to create sustainable communities.

Compiled by Dave Morris, Secretary of the Haringey Federation of Residents Associations