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Morning Briefing: more than 1,400 made homeless due to paramilitary intimidation
The Belfast Telegraph reveals the shocking rate of homelessness relating to paramilitary intimidation in Northern Ireland
In the news
More than 2,000 people have been driven from homes in Northern Ireland over the past three-and-a-half years – with paramilitaries blamed for the overwhelming majority.
The Belfast Telegraph reports on figures it obtained through Freedom of Information laws which show the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has dealt with 2,017 cases of homelessness due ‘intimidation’ since April 2015.
Of these, 1,488 were related to paramilitaries while the remainder were due to factors such as anti-social behaviour and racism. The full report is available here.
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The Guardian reports that sales of prime properties tripled as the sterling slumped after Brexit – making the UK a “goldmine” for wealthy foreign buyers.
The Daily Mail’s This is Money website reports on research showing transaction levels are dropping off across the country – warning it is a sign of an “endemic transaction crisis”.
Sunderland housing association Gentoo has announced that its new chief executive Nigel Wilson has started work, following his appointment in the summer.
The Financial Times reports on property tycoon Vincent Tchenguiz lobbying against the government’s proposed leasehold reforms. The mogul, who heads Consensus Business Group, one of the largest freeholders in the UK, told the paper there could be “unintended detrimental consequences” as a result of shaking up leasehold rules.
In local news, opposition councillors in Conservative-led Walsall have warned the Universal Credit roll-out is causing hardship, the Stoke Sentinel reports that Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has spent its entire allocation of emergency housing payments, and BBC Wales reports on delays to a programme of providing converted containers to provide temporary housing in Wrexham.
In Scotland, Dundee City Council has announced plans to provide “rapid rehousing” for homeless people as an alternative to temporary accommodation.
On social media
Consultant Greg Campbell points out the contrast between The Guardian and This is Money stories referenced above:
Interesting but unsurprising conflation of factors affecting #UKHousing sales market. pic.twitter.com/4a2DOxb3w2
— Greg Campbell (@GregCampbell15)Interesting but unsurprising conflation of factors affecting #UKHousing sales market. pic.twitter.com/4a2DOxb3w2
— Greg Campbell (@GregCampbell15) January 3, 2019
And an interesting debate brews on the sector’s ability to recruit and retain talent:
After over 10 years in UK housing I have left for a better salary & prospects elsewhere. #dissapointed
— Anil Mehta (@changeagentanil)After over 10 years in UK housing I have left for a better salary & prospects elsewhere. #dissapointed
— Anil Mehta (@changeagentanil) January 3, 2019
The big issues that impact the regeneration and delivery of social housingSPONSORED ARTICLE
