Government plans to sell off social housing across London could see families in Haringey less likely to find a home they can afford. London Assembly Member Joanne McCartney said the plans to extend Right to Buy to cover housing association properties would “leave thousands of families in Haringey on housing waiting lists with nowhere to turn” as councils’ social housing stock is sold off.
Analysis from the National Housing Federation (NHF) shows that over 23,000 social rented homes across London could be sold if Right to Buy, which allows council tenants to buy their home, is extended to housing association properties. The estimate is based on the number of London households who would be both eligible and able to afford the necessary mortgage to buy their home under the new proposals.
Joanne McCartney AM warned the sale of more social housing would leave the 9,203 families on Haringey’s council housing waiting lists even less likely to ever find a home they could afford.
Ms McCartney called for the Mayor of London to commission an assessment of the London impact of the government’s Right to Buy proposals.
London Assembly Member Joanne McCartney AM said:
“Government should support both home ownership and measures to increase the supply of social housing, we won’t solve London’s housing crisis by sacrificing one in pursuit of the other.
“There’s no escaping that selling off housing association properties at big discounts would worsen the housing crisis and leave thousands of local families with nowhere to turn. It’s already hard enough for families in Haringey to get a home without selling off some of the most affordable in the borough.
“The Mayor needs to seriously consider the impact of this policy on Londoners. With 9,203 families on housing waiting lists, people in Haringey want to know whether or not Boris Johnson will stand up and fight attempts to decimate our social housing stock.”