Members of the South Devon Green Party were out attracting the attention of commuter traffic in Totnes this week to highlight the need for affordable social housing in the South Hams.
Lydia Somerville, Green Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Totnes, told the PRSD: “It is criminal that when we live in one of the most unaffordable areas in the country, properties like this are sat empty and rotting, rather than supporting our communities. Homeless families and individuals lack security, and are unable to make decisions for the future in the way many of us can, that is a social disgrace.”
According to the South Devon Greens there are around 600 empty homes in the South Hams with about 130 in Totnes alone.
Jacqi Hodgson, town councillor, said: “The impact of seeing these empty houses in such a prominent position is wholly demoralising for those on the housing list. We cannot afford to let our society down by ignoring this. We urgently need to address the housing needs of our community by acting upon it.”
Devon County Councillor Paula Black said: “Although negotiations for a housing association to buy these particular properties have fallen through, we can not wait forever for the bank who now owns this property to delay providing people in need with a roof over their head. It is an utter scandal.”
• Is there enough affordable housing in the South Hams? Comments below, please
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You can report empty houses to the council
The last time we spoke to the South Hams council press office, they didn’t know what affordable housing was. For them, and for us, here’s a definition from the Communities and Local Government site
Social and affordable housing
Affordable housing includes social rented and intermediate housing, provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Affordable housing should:
• meet the needs of eligible households including availability at a cost low enough for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices; and
• include provisions for:
1. the home to be retained for future eligible households; or if these restrictions are lifted, for any subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.
2. Social rented housing is rented housing owned and managed by local authorities and RSLs, for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime. It may also include rented housing owned or managed by other persons and provided under equivalent rental arrangements to the above, as agreed with the local authority or with the Homes and Communities Agency as a condition of grant.
Intermediate affordable housing is housing at prices and rents above those of social rent but below market price or rents, and which meet the criteria set out above. These can include shared equity (eg HomeBuy) and other low cost homes for sales, and intermediate rent.