'Devastated' Social Housing Tenants Who Could Be Kicked Out Of Their Homes

Social housing tenants in Cambridge have been left devastated after plans were revealed to redevelop the land they live on - as the city’s affordable housing reaches “critical” levels. Montreal Square, located just off Mill Road and just over a mile from Cambridge city centre, currently has 18 houses on the cul-de-sac – but housing bosses want to increase that to 32. The Cambridge Housing Society (CHS) has revealed they are “exploring the possibility” of increasing the number of affordable homes on Montreal Square – an area where the need for affordable housing is “critical”. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/montreal-square-housing-association-cambridge-14247320

Spike in Social Housing Tenants Leaving Cambridge to Rent

There are fresh fears about the "social cleansing" of Cambridge after new figures showed a flood of people leaving the city for cheaper housing. There has been a spike in the number of housing benefit claimants moving from social housing inside the city to the private sector outside Cambridge. Sixty-five people made this move between March and November 2014 – compared to just 45 people in the previous nine months. The figures come from Government statistics unearthed by the News showing the movements of those claiming housing benefit between social housing and the private rented sector. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Are Homeless People Turning To Tents For Shelter?

The mounting homelessness crisis in Cambridge appears to be forcing more people than ever to live in tents across the city. There has been a spike in cases of so-called "illegal camping" across Cambridge, according to fresh figures from the city council. Enforcement teams have been called to 33 such incidents on public spaces in the city so far this calendar year. The previous two years saw just 19 and 14 cases respectively. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Homelessness at ‘Tipping Point’

Homelessness appears to be spiralling in Cambridge with fears the city has reached "tipping point" and faces a crisis. Fresh figures from the city council show 100 households presented as homeless between April and July – completely eclipsing the previous high for a quarterly period of 76 cases. And this surge in cases is reflected across the board. New figures also show more than 350 cases were placed in temporary accommodation over the past 12 months while their case was awaiting further assessment, compared to fewer than 300 the previous year. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Legal Action Threat against Government over Welfare Changes and Right to Buy

Cambridge City Council could lead a coalition of councils and housing associations in taking legal action against the Government's budget plans amid claims its policies are "a political exercise in social cleansing". There has been unanimous condemnation of the Tory's budget changes and proposals to extend right to buy to housing associations. Councillors of all colours backed plans to send letters to MPs Daniel Zeichner and Heidi Allen urging them to do all they can in Parliament to fight the cause of city housing tenants. But council leader Cllr Lewis Herbert and executive councillor for housing Cllr Kevin Price said the council was considering far more serious action over changes to the likes of housing benefit and social rents. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Right to Buy Scandal As Almost Half Sold Are Now Rented Out

Government plans to extend right to buy have received a fresh barrage of criticism after it emerged almost half of the homes sold under the legislation in Cambridge could currently be let out. Cambridge City Council retains the freehold on 1,133 of its properties sold under right to buy. And the council says 482 of these are currently being rented out – despite the whole point of the legislation being to empower people to own their own home. City MP Daniel Zeichner said: "It is no surprise that so many properties sold under right to buy are now being let – and sadly, many of these will be occupied by people on low pay who qualify for housing benefit.” Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Eviction Action against Private Rented Sector Tenants Reaches Record High

Record amounts of eviction action is being taken against the city's tenants in the private rented sector, the News can reveal.  Cambridge landlords have launched more than 70 claims for eviction through the courts over the past 12 months, according to analysis of figures released by the Ministry of Justice. And it is feared this is just the tip of the iceberg with regards to tenants being evicted in the city. The News recently revealed that cases of homelessness coming forward to the city council had also reached record levels, with the past 12 months seeing a 41 per cent increase. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Is ‘State-Sanctioned Bed in a Shed’ The Future Of Affordable Housing

Scathing criticism has been fired at a development, which has sprung-up in a back garden in Cambridge. The 'studio flat' has also been condemned as a "garage with a shipping container on top" by furious residents who have long objected to the proposals. There was also dismay at councillors who approved the plans unanimously back in June. Conservation officers at the council called for the scheme to be rejected – but they were overruled by planning officers, who recommended it be approved. The council's east area committee then unanimously approved the proposals based on officers' recommendations. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

New Minimum Room Sizes Risk Cambridge's Social Housing Supply

A plan to enforce minimum room sizes across the city risks the supply of much-needed affordable housing, it is claimed. Cambridge City Council is considering introducing a rule whereby one-bed accommodation would be no smaller than 37 sq m, which the council says will "encourage provision of enough space in dwellings to ensure that homes can be used flexibly by a range of residents". But local developer Alistair Green claims such a move has already had a direct impact on the provision of the affordable housing he is preparing at a site off Histon Road. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Inflation-Busting Rent Hike for Council Tenants

A tenants’ revolt has been put down by a council chief who has forced through an inflation-busting rent hike. Thousands of households who rent from Cambridge City Council will have to pay an extra 5.76 per cent annually, an average of £279 each, leader Cllr Tim Bick has confirmed. Three tenant representatives had combined with Labour on the authority’s housing management board to recommend a smaller increase averaging £237, amid warnings the downturn had given hard-up families a “hammering”. But, for the first time ever, Liberal Democrat Cllr Bick used his powers to overrule the panel and to implement the original proposal. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Tenants' Revolt Derails £279 Rent Hike

Tenants revolted against council housing chiefs to derail a massive rent hike amid warnings the downturn had given hard-up families a “hammering”. Cambridge’s housing management board was presented with a proposal for an average rent increase of £279 annually, equivalent to 5.76 per cent, but three tenant representatives backed Labour’s amendment for a smaller rise averaging £237. This saw the opposition option approved by seven votes to five. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Evicting Tenants in Arrears over 'Bedroom Tax' Will Be a 'Last Resort'

Housing chiefs have agreed to all but rule out evictions over the ‘bedroom tax’ in Cambridge. With a quarter of council tenants who have had their benefits cut because they have a spare room not paying the extra bills, arrears are mounting, but the city council’s housing management board agreed evictions should be a “last resort”. Members agreed tenants would not be thrown out if their arrears related solely to the under-occupation rules, and where any of three criteria were met. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Cambridge Residents Are Not Paying Up, but Evictions Are Ruled Out

Housing chiefs are set to all but rule out evictions because of the ‘bedroom tax’ in Cambridge, with a quarter of affected tenants still not paying the extra bills. Nearly 500 council tenants in the city have had their benefits cut because they had a spare room, and the city council is now £30,000 out of pocket as families fall behind on rent, five months since the implementation of the reforms. The shortfall is expected to hit £73,000 by April. Read more on the Cambridge News website.

Tenants’ Arrears of £22,500 after Just 8 Weeks of the Bedroom Tax

Just half of all Cambridge council tax tenants affected by the ‘bedroom tax’ are paying the extra bills - running up combined arrears of £22,500 in just eight weeks.  If households continuing to fall behind with rent at this rate, there will be a shortfall of £140,000 by next April, according to a city council analysis.  In total, about 500 Cambridge families are now thought to be affected by the bedroom tax.  While a third of tenants were expected to consider downsizing, just one household has moved to date. Three offers are pending.  John Marais, a tenant representative on the housing management board, called on councillors to rule out evictions of families hit by the reforms.

Read more on the Cambridge News website.