Red Queen

. I’m sorry but EVERY TIME I read an article like this (this is on the BBC news app) I have my head in my hands. The content is exactly the same that we’ve all read in so many articles on homelessness and the housing crisis in the last 30 years! The issue isn’t just about ‘rough sleepers’ it’s about a much deeper and very painful HOUSING CRISIS. We are banging the same drum to the same beat but doing NOTHING RADICAL TO FIX THE BIG HOUSING PROBLEMS! Temporary accommodation is NOT the answer!Private rental accommodation is NOT the answer! WE NEED TO BUILD MORE SOCIAL HOUSING IN EVERY TOWN AND CITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY because people desperately need long-term, safe, stable and secure housing for social rent. We need to reform or end Right to Buy. We need to have a cross-party agreement that the country will build a minimum of 100,000 HOMES FOR SOCIAL RENT PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS to replenish the social housing stock that has been lost. Councils desperately want to build more social housing. But an unsustainable financial model from central government makes this virtually impossible. For anyone passionate about social housing I recommend you read a brilliant report called ‘SECURING THE FUTURE OF COUNCIL HOUSING’ - An Interim Report - July 2024 - Commissioned by Southwark Council - (CLICK ON THE LINK IN MY BIO FOR THE REPORT) - and supported by 19 other major councils across the country. It has detailed and practical recommendations for achieving 5 key solutions: 1.Establish a new and fair HRA (Housing Revenue Account) model. 2.Reform unsustainable RIGHT TO BUY policies. You can’t sell off council housing stock and not replace it! 3.Remove red tape on the ‘Affordable Homes Programme’ and other funds 4.Announce a Green & Decent Homes Programme 5.Fund the completion of new council homes And if anyone says “the country can’t afford that” it’s simply not true! The government’s own analysis is that social rented housing has an average benefit:cost ratio of 3.4. Research suggests that funding the construction of just 90,000 new social rent homes could add £51.2bn to the economy, create 140,000 jobs, generate massive savings on housing benefit, REDUCE HOMELESSNESS, increase employment in the NHS, Police, Education and other public services because there will be a genuinely affordable housing provision. Ending the housing crisis is an investment that will benefit Britain! Just look at Finland! They’ve virtually ended homelessness through a radical programme: “In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. The reason: The country applies the “Housing First” concept. Those affected by homelessness receive a small apartment and counselling – without any preconditions.” ENDING HOMELESSNESS is actually better for the country in every respect (financial, health, mental health, education, well-being) than HAVING HOMELESSNESS, which comes at a huge cost. And of course it is life-changing for those who are living on the streets or stuck in temporary accommodation. BUT WE NEED RADICAL ACTION FROM GOVERNMENT otherwise it’s the same boring headlines over and over again, that we’ve seen repeated for so many years, while we see the housing crisis get worse by the day. If it really is ‘TIME FOR CHANGE’ then let’s get on with it I realise the current government have not been in power long, but I pray they come up with a long-term, radical strategy to end the housing crisis and end homelessness. It will transform the lives of millions of people and it will benefit so many aspects of the country. And without a safe, secure, stable and genuinely affordable roof over your head, everything else in life becomes a battle. A decent home is the foundation stone of everyone’s life. @AngelaRayner . . . . #CouncilHouseScandal #HousingCrisis #EnoughisEnough #CouncilHouse #Shelter #AffordabilityCrisis #Housing #Britain #HousingMinister #TimeForChange #HousingFirst #SocialHousing #EndHomelessness #EndHousingCrisis