The Affordable Housing Commission (AHC) has published a report on making housing affordable after COVID-19.
The report argues that social and affordable housing should be at the heart of the economic recovery from COVID-19. The commission urges that the timing is right for a sustained social housing programme, which supports local jobs and growth and helps decarbonise housing.
Solutions suggested include a step change in the supply of social and affordable homes to help rebalance the housing system, reduce housing benefit costs and ease housing stress, especially for lower income households and key workers – many of whom are struck in the more expensive private rented sector.
The report sets out a 12 point housing-led recovery plan, which includes measures to:
- Return housing grants to previous levels which helped rescue the housing market after the global financial crisis.
- A new Housing Conversion Fund for social landlords to buy unsold homes and other properties.
- Reforms to the Right to Buy and Permitted Development Rights.