To drive meaningful change in 2022 and beyond, government support for affordable housing tenures should be backed up by clear guidance that encourages local authorities to welcome institutional investment in their affordable housing provision and to consider innovative models. There needs to be a framework to which providers can refer to confirm that there is national-level support for accepting institutional investment, instilling confidence to accept alternative provisions outside of government grants. In turn, this enables local authorities to focus grant funding on the delivery of new homes for social rent.
With housing costs continuing to soar and the affordability gap continuing to widen, 2022 must be the year when alternative homeownership schemes can play their part. By welcoming and taking a clear position on privately funded schemes, the government can enable the scaled-up delivery of additional affordable homes to those that need them most at no cost to the taxpayer.
Read what chief executive Steve Collins had to say in the Property Reporter Look Ahead for 2022.