Submitted by David Gibbens on
The Empty Homes Network policy paper aims to support the development of practical measures that are needed to keep the number of empty homes to a minimum.
As with all our policy papers, this one is the fruit of a collaborative exercise open to contributions from all our practitioners and has been carefully considered and agreed by the EHN Executive.
Five key action points emerged:
At national level
- A commitment from government to implement a sustainable, evidence-based, cost-effective national Empty Homes Initiative.
- A national Empty Homes Loans Fund, administered by local authorities.
- Dedicated capital funding streams, appropriately managed, for organisations of all sizes that create social housing from empty property.
- An Empty Homes Act to bring coherence to the hotchpotch of legislation affecting empty homes.
At local level
- Sustainable, effective empty homes initiatives in every local authority, supported by appropriate financial frameworks, delivered through cost-effective partnerships and enjoying local support.
The full policy document with its explanations and rationale can be downloaded from our library here.
Issues:
2015 General Election, affordable housing, big society, council tax data, council tax discounts, council tax exemptions, compulsory purchase, data protection, EDMO, Empty Homes Premium, empty homes strategy, enforcement (NOT CPO or EDMO), Grant - HCA / GLA, grants from LA, homelessness, loans, New Homes Bonus, probate, second homes, self-help housing, short-life housing, sustainable communities, valuation lists, VAT