Sector Leaders Support Need For New Decent Homes Standard

The Decent Homes Standard (DHS) has “allowed lethargy to creep into asset management” and needs more than a review to rule on its future fitness for purpose, sector leaders say. A roundtable of leading housing association and local authority landlords came to a clear consensus on the need for sector-led action that shifts DHS away from an asset investment approach around life-cycle replacement. To those at the table this was “cop out” that the wider sector needed to wake up to ahead of the government acting on Green Paper responses to a DHS last updated in 2006 and now “failing” to meet the demands of modern-day living. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/sector-leaders-support-need-for-new-decent-homes-standard/

Social Rented Housing: Consultation Papers – Parliamentary Written Answer

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 10 of his Green Paper: a new deal for social housing, Cm 9671, which states that Ministers in his Department met and talked with almost 1,000 residents of social housing at events across England, if he will publish his Department’s analysis of the views that those residents expressed to ensure that Members are aware of the concerns that their constituents raised.

Kit Malthouse: The Green Paper ‘A new deal for social housing’ reflects the views of residents that Ministers met during 14 listening events and a further 7,000 people sending their views online. The key messages from residents are set out in the Green Paper: that we must ensure homes are safe and decent; provide swift and effective resolution of disputes; empower residents to ensure their voices are hear and strengthen the regulatory framework; tackle the stigma faced by residents; and deliver the affordable homes this country needs. The Green Paper is currently out for public consultation, closing on 6 November 2018, and Ministers are holding a further 8 events around the country to engage with social housing residents directly.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-10-08/175850

Social Housing Green Paper Expected In Next Six Weeks

In a statement to the House of Commons, James Brokenshire said the paper, promised by his predecessor Sajid Javid at last year’s National Housing Federation conference, would be published 24 July. Mr Brokenshire said: “It is essential that people living in buildings like Grenfell Tower are not only safe but they feel the state understands their lives and works for them. There is no question that their faith in this has been shaken. “Which is why – as well as strengthening building and fire safety – we’ll be publishing a Social Housing Green Paper by recess.” Read more on Inside Housing.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:shqpwokgvM8J:https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/social-housing-green-paper-expected-in-next-six-weeks-56741+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&safe=vss

‘Non-Committal Committal’ Over Release Of Social Housing Green Paper

The social housing Green Paper will be out “in the next few months” the Commons has been told. Shadow housing secretary John Healey secured the non-committal committal from MHCLG minister Heather Wheeler who said some 7,000 people had shared their views across a wide range of concerns during the consultation period. Tpas is one body to air concerns over the Green Paper folding on un-recorded findings from the Post Grenfell tenant roadshows hosted by former housing minister Alok Sharma. Read more on 24housing.

http://www.24housing.co.uk/news/non-committal-committal-over-release-of-social-housing-green-paper/

Government Drops LHA Cap Plans In Huge Climbdown

The government has dropped plans to cap housing benefit in the social housing sector at Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates in a huge climbdown following widespread criticism. The plans to introduce the LHA cap for both general needs social housing and supported housing will be dropped. The future funding model for supported housing will be revealed next Tuesday (31 October). The sector had been anxiously awaiting an update from government on their future plans for supported housing after a green paper was promised in the spring but had yet to materialise. The prime minister said: “We will not apply the Local Housing Allowance cap to supported housing – indeed we will not be implementing it in the wider social housing sector, and the full details will be made available when we publish our response to the consultation” Read more on Inside Housing.

Associations Pull 85% Of Planned Supported Housing Developments

The National Housing Federation (NHF) said the dramatic drop in development is due to uncertainty over the introduction of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) cap. The government was meant to publish a Green Paper on the future of supported housing during the spring but this has not yet materialised. The NHF’s survey of 69 housing associations which together provide a third of supported housing revealed they had previously planned to build 8,800 units of supported housing but now had a total pipeline of just 1,350. Those who provided additional detail in the survey said 71 schemes representing 2,185 homes have been postponed, 19 have been cancelled outright, and 25 existing schemes are threatened with closure. Read more on Inside Housing.

Delay To Supported Housing Green Paper A ‘Blow’

The Supported Housing Green Paper looks set to be delayed again as the government focuses on the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire. The government was due to publish the paper in the spring, but it is likely this will be delayed, with some sources pointing toward being after summer recess. Angela Lockwood, vice chair at PlaceShapers, said the “clock is ticking” to find a solution to the funding problem. She said: “We fully understand and support the government’s priority on Grenfell which was unprecedented and devastating. However the repeated delays to the Green Paper is a blow to those housing associations providing supported housing.” Read more on 24housing.

NHF Expects Supported Housing Green Paper In 'Late Spring'

The National Housing Federation (NHF) expects a key government Green Paper setting out future plans for supported housing by “late spring”. The government plans to set out more detail in the paper about its controversial plans to cap benefits for supported housing tenants at Local Housing Allowance (LHA) levels and provide councils with cash to top up the difference. It will also outline its response to feedback from its consultation on the plans. Read more on the NHF website.

Tories Release Planning Green Paper

The Conservative Party has laid out plans to scrap large elements of the planning system and replace them with a new system where local authorities set their own housing targets. The party has finally published its long awaited planning green paper which included proposing the scrapping of centrally-set housing targets and replacing them with a system of financial incentives for local councils to build. As expected, the green paper also includes introducing a presumption in favour of sustainable development at the base of the system, whilst giving neighbours the right to force the council to review a planning application. However the Tories said they will limit the right of residents or developers to appeal planning decisions once the decision has been taken, and will replace the planned introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy with a “tariff”. Read the full story on the Building website.