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One in 10 Londoners needs social housing
Mira Bar-Hillel, Property Correspondent22.10.08
MORE than a third of a million London households are now waiting for social housing, up nearly 50 per cent in five years, a new report revealed today.
Research by the National Housing Federation London also found more than one in 10 people living in London is on a housing waiting list, and more than 750,000 Londoners are living in overcrowded homes.
More than 15,000 families were accepted as homeless by London councils last year. The report Home Truths London 2008 will be launched at the House of Commons tomorrow. It concludes London needs 11,000 more social homes to be built every year. Only two thirds of that number are being built.
In spite of the recent price reductions, the average London house price is still more than 14 times the average Londoner's income. Buying, even at the cheapest end of the market, still requires an income of more than £55,000. Private market rents are more than twice as expensive as social rents.
Belinda Porich, head of the London Housing Federation, said: "Last year housing associations increased the number of social homes they produce by more than a third. But it's clearly not enough. It's vital we hit the Mayor's target of 50,000 new social homes in London by 2011."
●The Government today faced calls to clamp down on developers building homes with kitchen/living areas and bedrooms so small they "stifle" families. Croydon council is calling for "robust" nationwide rules.
Reader views (8)
... this is a big joke surviving in this cheap town.
- Angelo, London
Move all the jobless people out of council houses and give them to people who really need to be in London. You can be unemployed anywhere.
- Don Shipp, London, England
and the government claims to have tackled poverty. What a joke...
- Nigel, London
Another good reason to make sure that a realistic amount is paid for the building of the Olympic village as this will provide social housing and also property for key worker staff after the olympics
- Andy, London
Councils should be able to take over failed housind developments and apartment blocks like the ones in the thames gateway for a nominal fee and use those for social housing.
- Nick, london
I'll have one of those 7 bedroom houses like that lady in Ealing please.
- Claire, London
If these people don't have homes in London then I don't really see how they are Londoners. If I were to rock up in Paris with nothing but the shirt on my back and a handful of hungry kids, it wouldn't make me a Parisian, it would make me a homeless Londoner.
Having sad that, my wallet seems to be permanently open so take what you want, I am sure they are more deserving of my money than I am. All I did was earn it….
- Ben, London, W1
How many of these are British born? Let us have the figures. We have a problem because the country has a policy of housing foreigners and people on benefits who do not work. Housing should be for people who have low paying jobs and need cheaper housing.
- Maggie, London
