Issue - meetings

[[The report of the  Director for Planning, Regeneration and Development. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning.]To seek authority to consult on a draft Intermediate Housing Policy which includes the criteria for the allocation of new shared ownership homes.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning introduced the report which sought approval to consult on how the Council will allocate homes for the intermediate range of income groups.  The report also set out some operational requirements that need to be considered in order that the policy, when approved, to be delivered effectively. 

RESOLVED

To approve the draft Intermediate Housing Allocations Policy, set out at Appendix 2, for consultation prior to formal adoption in 2017.

Reasons for decision

Currently, the Council has no policy for allocating Intermediate housing, either for sale or for rent.  Intermediate housing is becoming an increasingly important part of the housing offer, and this is emphasised in our new Housing Strategy.  As the housing market becomes ever more difficult for households on a range of incomes to access, it is important that the Council takes all possible steps to influence the intermediate market to make sure it is really meeting the needs of Haringey residents.

The Council also wants to influence future provision, based on its analysis of the needs of Haringey residents, and this will be better targeted with more specific knowledge of the housing needs of households in the median range of incomes in the borough. 

Finally, the Council is proposing to consult of a new Housing Allocations Policy which may limit those able to register, to people on lower income levels.  It is important that the Council has an alternative offer to make to those who will no longer be able to access the Register for Social Housing.  A new Intermediate Housing Allocations Policy is therefore required, in order to make it clear to applicants and partners, how intermediate housing in the borough is allocated.

Alternative options considered

The option was considered, of taking no proactive steps, and leaving Intermediate Housing to be allocated by external providers, as now.  This was rejected, first because the new Housing Strategy makes it clear that Intermediate Housing will play an increasingly important part of the housing provision in the borough, and the Council needs to be sure that local Haringey residents benefit from it. 

Secondly, there is a strategic imperative set out in the Housing Strategy, to meet the housing needs of households with a range of incomes who cannot meet their needs in the open housing market.  The Council also needs its own Intermediate Housing Policy because it is building new shared ownership units itself, and they need to be allocated in line with a published policy to ensure that there is a transparent and fair process to allocate these homes. This policy is important as it has the potential to enable social housing tenants to purchase homes, releasing units in the social housing sector, where households have incomes that enable them to access home ownership on a shared ownership basis.