Have your say on Havering’s new Housing Allocation Scheme
Havering Council is consulting on a new Housing Allocation Scheme, which is now open for consultation until 4 April 2021.
The new policy contains a range of measures that will help the Council best meet the housing needs of the local community.
To acknowledge the duty we owe to our armed forces, we have made sure they are given priority in the scheme.
In addition, the priority given to disabled Havering residents has been increased.
This is to ensure that those most vulnerable members of our community are provided with good-quality affordable housing.
The proposals increase the amount of time applicants must have lived within the borough, from six years to 10 years.
This is to promote and protect long-standing Havering residents to stay in their borough in social housing.
The policy also seeks to raise the gross income threshold and savings limit for households to recognise the changing financial climate.
It will also recognise that people should be able to save up for a deposit for purchase without being penalised.
The policy sets out how the Council will support access to other forms of affordable housing too.
The newly proposed Housing Opportunities Register will enable local people to access a range of other housing options in the borough.
It will make sure that local people are supported to get access to the shared ownership properties we are developing.
Councillor Joshua Chapman, Cabinet Member for Housing at Havering Council, said:
“We are confident that our proposed new Housing Allocation Scheme will make the best use of our limited social housing stock.
"This will ensure that available Council housing will be prioritised fairly for local people in housing need.
“Havering is committed to developing a range of new social and affordable housing though our housing regeneration schemes.
"Thw aim is to develop around 3,500 homes over the next 10 years.
"Whilst we are waiting for these homes to be delivered, our existing stock must be allocated in a fair and relevant way.
“We are also working hard to purchase affordable and social housing for immediate use by local tenants on our housing register.
"This includes properties such as the new 4-bedroom homes we acquired last year as part of the Victory Place development in Romford.”