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, community/voluntary/grassroots, 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