The Future of Housing Associations: What Next for Affordable Housing?

A transcript of this event will be available at http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/modevents/item/the-future-of-housing-associations-what-next-for-affordable-housing England is in the grip of a housing crisis. In short, nowhere near enough homes are being built in England. We need to be building around 240,000 homes a year simply to meet future demand and yet the average over the last 10 years has been just shy of 140,000. The ramifications are most acute for the poorest in our society, reflected by marked increase in those on the social housing waiting lists since 2000. During the recession housing associations have built around half the homes being built in England. They also build or commission almost all the affordable homes being built, but in 2010 social housing grant was cut by two thirds and grant funding for new social rented homes ended. Welfare reforms, further restricting housing benefit levels and imposing the benefit cap, and direct payments of housing benefit to social tenants, have added to the financial challenges faced by housing associations. Yet, affordable housing delivery has not fallen as many predicted: housing associations are still building around 45,000 affordable homes a year currently, plus around 5,000 ordinary market homes. Policy Exchange published our report Freeing Housing Associations in November 2014. The Report asserted there is actually sufficient financial capacity within the housing association sector to not only maintain its current housing output, but eventually to double it - to around 100,000 homes a year. It could achieve much of this if it was unshackled from excessive financial and regulatory constraints - by giving well-performing housing associations independent status and the green light to buy out their historical grant which binds them to these rules. This event is a follow up to the report and will consider the following questions: What is the future for affordable housing – both for social rent and affordable rent? Do we actually need social housing grant to deliver the affordable housing we need? Is it realistic or fair to expect housing associations to do more? What are the implications of welfare reform (housing benefit cap, direct payments) for building affordable homes? SPEAKERS Brandon Lewis MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning David Orr, Chief Executive of National Housing Federation Neil Hadden, Chief Executive of Genesis Housing Association Chris Walker, Head of Housing and Planning Policy, Policy Exchange (Chair)