Agenda item

Resolved: that the report be noted

7.1       Colin Moone, Housing Needs Service Group Manager, Customers Services, introduced the report. The key points to note were:

·        Lewisham has about 116,091 dwellings in the borough, approximately 42.4% are owner-occupied, 24.3% are private rented, 31.1% are social rented properties, 1.2% are shared ownership and 1% living rent free (Source: 2011 Census).

·        There are approximately 7,700 on the housing register in Lewisham.  The register had been reviewed over the past year, bringing down the figure from about 18,000.

·        Last year, there were 1,661 social rented properties available for letting throughout the borough.

·        With data from April-December 2012, the average waiting time for those on the housing register for a 2-bedroom household was 109 weeks, and for a 4-bedroom household it was 285 weeks.

·        In terms of temporary accommodation, about 1,165 have been placed in provision provided by a number of suppliers, for example hostels, private sector landlords, or bed and breakfasts.

·        The two main reasons for being made homeless in the borough were loss of rented property and ‘family/friend exclusion’. These two reasons accounted for over 80% of homeless applications and acceptances

·        Lewisham had 205 out-of-borough placements in neighbouring boroughs in 2012. All London boroughs have signed up to an agreement to regulate inter borough placements, to ensure the host borough is not out-bid for properties within their own jurisdiction.

·        Lewisham has a Rent Incentive Scheme, which is voluntary, and allows households to move to the private sector if they so wish. In 2012-13, 47 households were relocated under this scheme.

·        In conclusion:

o       Housing register is currently 7,836

o       1,000 new applications a year

o       1,211 homeless applications last year; 700 accepted

o       1,661 lettings last year

o       1,165 households accommodated in temporary accommodation (TA)

o       618 in temporary accommodation in private sector

o       Currently 10,000 landlords accommodating households on housing benefits

o       There is not enough social housing supply to meet the demands of our community

o       The volume of social rented housing available for letting in any one year just about meets emerging demand but does not address any of the backlog on the housing register

7.2       In response to questions the Committee were advised:

·        Work has been carried out previously to convert properties to larger homes, and officers are submitting a bid to the GLA “Building the Pipeline” fund to support further deconversion and extensions as well as for more new build.

·        As well as the Rent Incentive Scheme, there is the Private Sector Leasing Scheme, which is a scheme where Lewisham Council leases private rented property for a flexible term of up to three years.  These properties are then let by the Council to homeless families in need of temporary accommodation. The difference between the two schemes is that the Council will manage the properties and cover any ‘empty’ periods that may occur on the Private Sector Leasing Scheme.

·        Boroughs across London are trying to work together to tackle the issue of limited available accommodation for those registered as homeless. The places where people work, live, travel and socialise are quite interchangeable for a lot of residents, and that makes managing the use of properties by homeless households and individuals more challenging.

·        There are a couple of ‘property exchange’ schemes that are available; Lewisham participates in the House Exchange scheme. If someone is a council or housing association tenant, then they can arrange to swap their house or flat with another tenant, provided their landlord agrees.

·        The Council are working with developers to extract as much social housing as they can in new developments.

·        On Convoys Wharf, while the Council’s planning policy position is to aim for up to 50% of housing to be affordable/social housing, this can only be achieved if it is financially viable and fits alongside the development of other priorities such as schooling and healthcare facilities.

·        Officers would supply Members with information on:

o       Breakdown of the Homeless figures in respect of Reasons and Age

o       Number of homeless refusals and reasons.

            Resolved: that the report be noted