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The sector reacts to the negative Channel 4 programme about housing associations
In the news
Last night’s Dispatches Programme, Getting Rich off the Housing Crisis, portrayed housing associations as the ‘new kids on the block’ who are becoming more commercial to profit from the housing crisis. Many of housing’s Twitterati felt the programme was unfair and misleading (see below).
At Inside Housing, we felt the programme was deeply problematic in many ways, not least because it hardly mentioned the role of government policy in leading to the reduced numbers of social homes.
Read our piece here pointing out the problems with the programme
Aside from Dispatches, there is an interesting story from Kent. Canterbury City Council is claiming it has “outwitted” large London boroughs by purchasing some former student homes to provide affordable housing for local people.
The city has recently seen properties purchased by London boroughs to house families seeking temporary accommodation away from the city.
Simon Cook, leader of the council, told the BBC: “We have had to keep this under wraps for fear of being gazumped by those with deeper pockets than our own.”
Political machinations may drive an early summer break for MPs, with Theresa May looking for a vote on ending the parliamentary term on Thursday as she seeks to stave off a leadership challenge. The housing significance, which you sense may not be a huge priority for the PM, is that this leaves only two days to get the Social Housing Green Paper out before recess – a promise the government has repeated today.
The Financial Times has a long read on the whirling merry-go-round of housing ministers. You can catch our podcast on who has been the best below:
ITV has a look at the housing crisis in the East of England, where it says families wait 19 years to afford to buy a home.
Sanctuary Housing Group has attracted the ire of the local press due to a faulty lift. In the North West, the Liverpool Echo continues its coverage of Wirral Council’s plans to build on the green belt, branding the proposals “madness”.
In news from across the Irish Sea, PwC has predicted that Northern Ireland will see the sharpest growth in house prices over the next four years, the BBC reports. The financial services giant reckons the region will see prices increase by 4%, compared to an overall UK rate of 3.4%.
And City Metric has put together a piece about a new diagram of the UK which it claims highlights how London is the “epicentre” of the house price crisis.
On social media
Yesterday’s Dispatches programme has sparked much debate online:
Some really important points raised in #dispatches about how Housing Associations work and how affordable ’affordable’ homes are. But the failure here is from central government: if you give HAs no subsidy they have to try and find ways to build affordable homes.
— Rachael Orr (@Rachaelorrsome)Some really important points raised in #dispatches about how Housing Associations work and how affordable 'affordable' homes are. But the failure here is from central government: if you give HAs no subsidy they have to try and find ways to build affordable homes.
— Rachael Orr (@Rachaelorrsome) July 16, 2018
#dispatches is conflating a number of issues - but let’s be clear about one thing : Affordable Rents were introduced by government, and in many places they’re far from genuinely affordable.
— Brian Robson (@jrfbrian)
If we want that to change, we need government to link rents to local low earnings. t.co/oi3s8XTMAB#dispatches is conflating a number of issues - but let’s be clear about one thing : Affordable Rents were introduced by government, and in many places they’re far from genuinely affordable.
— Brian Robson (@jrfbrian) July 16, 2018
If we want that to change, we need government to link rents to local low earnings. https://t.co/oi3s8XTMAB
Trying to correct the inaccuracies in this journalism would take far too long, but that should not detract from the serious investment needed in social housing and the importance of HAs’ social purpose #dispatches
— Nicholas Yandle (@NickYandle1)Trying to correct the inaccuracies in this journalism would take far too long, but that should not detract from the serious investment needed in social housing and the importance of HAs’ social purpose #dispatches
— Nicholas Yandle (@NickYandle1) July 16, 2018
Where’s the 2nd half of #dispatches? The bit where despite policy/funding changes HAs invest £billions in building homes, in supporting communities & people? In tackling homelessness, ASB or DV? We must debate how to best meet housing need, but it needs to be a balanced one.
— Tim Abbott (@Tim_Sovereign)Where’s the 2nd half of #dispatches? The bit where despite policy/funding changes HAs invest £billions in building homes, in supporting communities & people? In tackling homelessness, ASB or DV? We must debate how to best meet housing need, but it needs to be a balanced one.
— Tim Abbott (@Tim_Sovereign) July 16, 2018
Bit of a hack job by #dispatches. Didn’t tackle why there is a lack of genuinely affordable homes & that ‘affordable rent’ is set by the gov. Also ignored all the good stuff HAs do (securing extra income for tenants, getting people into work)
— Gareth Jones (@wvhtGareth)Bit of a hack job by #dispatches. Didn’t tackle why there is a lack of genuinely affordable homes & that ‘affordable rent’ is set by the gov. Also ignored all the good stuff HAs do (securing extra income for tenants, getting people into work)
— Gareth Jones (@wvhtGareth) July 16, 2018
#dispatches on C4 is seeing #UKhousing HA staff clambering for their keyboards to criticise the show. Not quite as many as we saw praising C5 for #HousingYorkshire in which @yhousing portrayed tenants as misfits and the HA’s heroes. The boot is correctly on the other foot now.
— Real Voices (@Real_Voices_)#dispatches on C4 is seeing #UKhousing HA staff clambering for their keyboards to criticise the show. Not quite as many as we saw praising C5 for #HousingYorkshire in which @yhousing portrayed tenants as misfits and the HA's heroes. The boot is correctly on the other foot now.
— Real Voices (@Real_Voices_) July 16, 2018
Whilst it’s poor journalism that #Dispatches say it’s housing associations fault that government don’t invest in social housing, it’s much more disturbing that those that once worked in the sector have forgotten that.
— victor da cunha (@victor_dacunha)Whilst it’s poor journalism that #Dispatches say it’s housing associations fault that government don’t invest in social housing, it’s much more disturbing that those that once worked in the sector have forgotten that.
— victor da cunha (@victor_dacunha) July 16, 2018