Core Cities Warn Over RTB And Social Rent Cut

A report by Core Cities UK has called for greater devolution of housing policy and funding, but warned government plans on Right to Buy and social rent reductions would limit investment. The report said: “Greater local flexibility to pool housing funds and apply them to distinctive local need will get better results.” In addition it called for a removal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) caps and greater incentives to develop brownfield sites in order to “capture uplifts in land values”. It also warned that proposals on extending Right to Buy to housing associations, paid in part by forcing councils to sell off their high-value properties, and a 1% cut in social rents would “limit cities’ ability to invest and deliver”. Download the report from the Core Cities website.