I won’t be the first, or the last, to remark that we are witnessing an extraordinary level of political turmoil at the moment. I hesitate to comment on what is happening now as it is likely to be obsolete within hours, but as things stand we are facing a general election in December 2019. What does seem clear and constant is that people in the South West, and indeed all over the country, are living in uncertain social and economic times.
At times we see how divided our nation is, and of course there is a huge amount at stake. But as people and organisations who are invested in homes and communities everywhere, housing associations and our partners are in a great position to offer an alternative to this bleak picture. It seems to me that now more than ever is the time for us to focus on solving the issues that matter most to the communities we serve.
For huge numbers of people who are concerned about their family’s future, housing is the one thing that would make an immeasurable, lasting, positive difference.
The National Housing Federation’s recent research revealed that there are 8.4m people affected by the housing crisis in different ways. We have been able to show for the first time ever the full extent of the number of people who are affected by different, hugely significant problems, all resulting from their housing situation. This includes 3.6m people living in overcrowded homes, 2.5m unable to afford their rent or mortgage, and 1.4m in poor quality homes. In the South of England alone (not including London), there are 2.5m people hit by the housing crisis right now.
By providing people access to the good quality, affordable homes that they need would not only give them a roof over their head, but it could also provide millions of people with stability, opportunities to work, a place to play, and in many cases better health. The answer to achieving this lies in no small part in the certainty that we need over the future of the Government’s Affordable Homes Programme, and the level of investment political parties are willing to commit to developing more affordable homes (which we estimate needs to be in the region of £12.8bn per year).
But part of the solution also lies with us: the housing associations, local authorities, developers, community leaders, health bodies, and others who are in a position to work together to end the housing crisis.
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of speaking at a dinner in Exeter hosted by Stephens Scown where the vibrant discussion focused on the critical issue of delivering the homes for social rent that our nation, and in particular the south west region, desperately needs.
In that room, as in many rooms and communities, there was a clear sense of partnership and shared responsibility for facing the housing crisis together. For our part, housing associations know that whatever our external environment, we remain focused on three key areas.
Firstly, we are promoting great quality, in the homes we build and maintain and in the service we offer. Secondly, our sector is building trust, with tenants, with the public, and with the stakeholders with whom we share our social purpose. Thirdly, we are driving the delivery of new social and affordable homes which will help end the housing crisis, we are working together to tackle homelessness and we are campaigning ensure funding for support services is sustainable, amongst other things.
On all these areas, there is an opportunity for us to work with you, your teams, your communities, to tackle the housing crisis together.