Sometimes the first step towards progress is being totally, even brutally, realistic. And when it comes to an issue as complex and politically sensitive as delivering affordable housing in a city like London, a healthy dose of realism can work wonders – especially for those who are committed to finding solutions to this thorny, and increasingly pressing, problem.
Realism is what will ensure laurels are not rested upon. It is what will drive those who want to make a change to differentiate between what government says and what government does. Realism is what could drive the creativity we desperately need.
“Those organisations out there that truly want to deliver affordable housing are just going to have to find creative solutions to do that,” said Square Roots managing director Barbara Richardson on an EG podcast focused on how the industry can deliver more quality, reliable and affordable accommodation in the capital and how it can better service the frontline workers on whose service the city depends.
“In the next three to five years I really don’t think the political system is going to help very much,” she added. “While I would like to think they are behind us, speaking about something and putting it into practice are two very different things.”
Richardson has more than 20 years’ experience in the public and private sectors working on housing delivery, so when she says we need creative solutions, chances are we need just that.
Thankfully there are companies, charities, collectives and bodies forging ahead with innovative ideas to ease the pressure when it comes to London’s affordable housing crisis – with or without political support.
Social impact
Tim Lowe is director of The LOWE Group, a business that manages vacant buildings to provide temporary accommodation – often for key workers – by offering them the opportunity to be property guardians while buildings are awaiting redevelopment or refurbishment.
“Our properties are meanwhile, which means we can offer genuinely affordable rents,” he said. “Anywhere from 50% below market rent. We have done some interesting projects recently where the client has come to us and said they are specifically looking to house key workers. I think there is a genuine trend in terms of developers looking at their social impact.
“Now, when we are handed a property, we will go out to the local hospitals, schools and our wider network to prioritise key workers looking for affordable, safe, secure accommodation close to where they work. We have over 750 property guardians living with us at the moment, 40% of whom are key workers.”
However, he is quick to add that while short-term and temporary solutions such as the housing his company offers are invaluable, property guardianship is not for everyone and there needs to be a longer-term plan in place if a real difference can ever hope to be made.
“The type of accommodation we offer is a short-term solution,” he said. “A lot of younger people who see it as such find that it fits their needs very well. Unfortunately for families with dependants, the fact you won’t be in one place for very long makes it quite difficult. The vast majority of people in our spaces at the moment are under 35, single and mobile. If we serve them notice, they are able to relocate. What we offer works for them and that’s great. But it is clear we need a much wider-scale policy around this.”
Dolphin Living chief executive Olivia Harris said the problem with that is the issue is likely to fall between two political parties with policies at opposite ends of the spectrum. Not only that, for the vast majority of key workers who actually need affordable housing, neither of those two aforementioned parties offer a suitable solution.
“We have two main political parties, one of which promotes social housing – which key workers can’t access because they are not a high enough priority – and the other that promotes home ownership which, in high-value areas like London, key workers can’t access either because it is not affordable for them. So I don’t think either of the main political parties support key workers enough.
“We are currently trying to get planning consent in a couple of areas and in our housing needs statement, we didn’t just use what the local authorities say their housing needs are because that quite often comes from their social housing list, which is based on a limited number of people.
“We also analyse the results of the Census. Politicians could also look at the results of the Census and analyse the housing needs of their communities instead of using a social housing list. Then, from this analysis, create a housing and planning policy that reflects the needs of the wider population. I firmly believe that the outcome of this would highlight the need for more affordable housing for median earners, many of whom are key workers.”
Remaining relevant
There is no doubt that there remain many challenges ahead if we hope to tackle London’s affordable housing crisis in any real, long-term way. But all guests all had a staunchly positive message to end on.
“I think that one silver lining of the pandemic has been that, as a nation, we appreciate our key and essential workers more than ever,” said Lowe. “There is an amazing opportunity to do something really special here and from the conversations I have been having with local authorities and private developers, I genuinely believe people want to make a difference.”
“Social conscience and housing issues are two things that really affect the younger generation,” added Harris. “The voices of those under 35s that Tim was talking about being his tenants are the voices coming forward and I think politicians are starting to realise they need to catch up on this agenda to remain relevant.”
And finally, it’s back to that realism courtesy of Square Roots’s Richardson. “I am very positive about the future,” she said. “There are more and more new providers of affordable housing like Square Roots coming forward to the market. And I do believe that it will be those providers that will, ultimately, provide the solution.
“I don’t think we can rest on our laurels and assume the politicians have the will to do it, even though they say they do. As a sector we must continue to lobby them all the time and point out to them what needs to be done and how it can be done.”
To send feedback, e-mail emily.wright@eg.co.uk or tweet @EmilyW_9 or @EGPropertyNews
In partnership with
