Andy Burnham is under pressure to grant local authorities enhanced powers to acquire or lease vacant properties in order to address the homelessness crisis. The plea comes from Lord John Bird, the founder of Big Issue, amidst a situation where over one million families remain on housing waiting lists and a growing number of children are being housed in temporary accommodations, including B&Bs.
Lord Bird is advocating for a government-supported loan scheme that he believes would facilitate the creation of numerous social housing units, thereby alleviating the homelessness predicament. In an interview with The Mirror, he emphasized the importance of Burnham demonstrating a strong commitment to tackling homelessness from the outset of his leadership.
Highlighting the issue of empty properties juxtaposed with families in need of housing, Lord Bird emphasized the necessity for innovative solutions to address the prevailing challenges. He has proposed amendments to the Social Housing Bill in the House of Lords to expedite the process of repurposing empty homes for social housing by reducing the qualifying period for intervention by local councils.
Statistics indicate that there are approximately 300,000 vacant homes in England that have been unoccupied for more than six months, while over 1.3 million households are awaiting social housing placements according to Shelter. Lord Bird’s proposed amendment also includes the establishment of a government-backed loan program to assist councils in acquiring or leasing vacant properties for subsequent renovation.
Andy Burnham, the incoming Prime Minister, has emphasized the urgency of addressing the housing crisis, pledging to initiate the most extensive council housebuilding initiative since the postwar era. He has highlighted the diminishing public housing stock, attributing it to policies such as Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy, which led to a significant reduction in council homes since the 1980s.