Mayor urges residents to get involved in Hackney housing strategy

Home is where the heart is: Hackney’s mayor Philip Glanville has made housing a top priority.

Hackney residents have one month left to have their say on the Town Hall’s plans to ease the “housing crisis” gripping the borough.

A consultation launched on 27 March asks residents for their input on the council’s plans to alleviate the shortage of affordable housing, which include proposals to build more homes and clamp down on rogue landlords.

But Digs organiser Heather Kennedy, who campaigns on behalf of renters, said that while it was to be “celebrated” that the problems of private renters are being taken more seriously, the council could be “a lot braver when it comes to posing bold solutions and standing up to central government”.

She said: “We’re very pleased that Hackney Council is, like us, encouraging the government to ban rip-off letting agent fees. But they also have a role in punishing agents who are not open about their fees.

“They should challenge the status quo on council ‘regeneration’. Rather than marking estates for demolition and uprooting people from their homes, often into worse housing with fewer rights, the council should prioritise saving and investing in the housing we already have.

“The council’s strategy barely mentions homelessness. We’re worried that the council are using their enforcement powers to target and harass street homeless people, as part of an overall ‘cleansing’ of the borough.”

House prices in Hackney have increased more rapidly than any other part of London over the last 20 years, according to recent research by Lloyds Bank. The average cost of a house in Hackney was £76,000 in 1996, but has since soared to just over £600,000 in 2016. This 700 per cent increase compares with an average price rise in London of 450 per cent, and 290 per cent in England and Wales.

The cost of renting in the private sector has also spiralled, as rents increased by more than a third in the last five years alone. A two-bedroom flat costs £1,820 per month, on average. Three quarters of Hackney residents rent their homes.

Mayor Philip Glanville, who has made housing one of his key priorities, said: “We can only take the right action to tackle the housing crisis and help more families access genuinely affordable homes if we know what residents think our priorities should be.

“We know finding an affordable place to live is the top concern of people living in our borough, and I’m clear that London only succeeds when those who contribute to its economy and culture can afford to live in the capital.

“Dozens of people have already had their say – make sure that your voice is heard in our plans to make Hackney a place that works for everyone.”

Hackney residents have until 22 May to submit responses to the consultation. The council cabinet will determine the final strategy later this year.

To add your voice to the Housing Strategy consultation, visit the website here