London’s stock of social housing saw a net fall last year, the first since 2014, according to the Government’s annual update.
In total, 3,620 council homes were lost in the capital between 2016 and 2017 as a result of demolition and “right to buy” policies.
New builds did not make up for homes lost, with housing associations adding just 1,910 new homes last year, leaving a net loss of 1,710 in London’s social housing stock overall.
Sian Berry, London Assembly member for the Green Party (who is now running to be co-leader nationally, with Caroline Lucas set to step aside), said: “We desperately need more council homes – too many families who are entitled to social housing are waiting for years struggling to get by on low wages and paying exorbitant private rents.
“But these new figures show that officially we are now actually going backwards for the first time in three years. The Mayor should be embarrassed that instead of new council homes, so far he has overseen a net decline in social housing.
“He must work harder to preserve the council homes we have by preventing demolitions, and needs to speed up the release of land and funding so that councils and communities can build more of the homes Londoners need.”
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