Teachers, emergency service workers and NHS staff could benefit from more community-led models of housing development.
The London Assembly today agreed a motion calling on the Mayor to find funding within the housing budget to set up a support hub for borough councils and the community-led housing sector.
Sian Berry AM, who proposed the motion said:
“This motion recognises that there is a real opportunity to spread the reach of new community-led homes to a wider range of Londoners that should be supported by the Mayor.
Our teachers, emergency service workers and NHS staff are the ideal people to be getting together to form housing co-ops or community land trusts, as well as the ‘self-starter’ groups who are ahead of the curve.
An expert hub to help these groups of people access professional support and funding to get these groups going, and co-ordinate work with the borough councils, would be invaluable to Londoners squeezed by the housing crisis.”
Tom Copley AM, who seconded the motion said:
“The Mayor is already showing welcome support for community-led housing and I hope that continues to grow.
We need the Mayor to work with the boroughs, and it’s encouraging that those collaborative efforts have started with the establishment of a community-led housing hub.
It’s vital Londoners can be part of the process of providing new homes. The Mayor has recognised this with his pledge of £250,000 for a London hub, and boroughs are being urged to pool their resources and take a joint approach to delivering community-led housing. We now need Government to step up their contribution too.”
The full text of the Motion is:
“New community-led models of housing development are a real opportunity for a wide range of Londoners to be part of providing new homes.
Groups springing up to develop ideas for new co-operatives, community land trusts and co-housing developments are in need of support from the Mayor.
This Assembly urges the Mayor to work with the borough councils and the community-led housing sector to set up an effective hub offering expert support to co-ordinate and maximise their work in this area, and to identify funds within the housing budget for this hub.”[1]
Notes to editors
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/60-million-boost-for-communities-affected-by-second-homeownership
- Watch the full webcast.
- The motion was agreed by 23 votes for, to 0 votes against.
- Sian Berry AM, who proposed the motion, is available for interviews. Please see contact details below.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Alison Bell on 020 7983 4428. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.