Published: Friday 3 December 2021
How should Kensington and Chelsea Council allocate its limited supply of social housing? That’s the question residents are being asked to consider in a consultation into a new Housing Allocations scheme.
The 12-week consultation is seeking residents’ views on who can join the Council’s housing register, how they should be prioritised and how homes are ultimately allocated.
A fair and effective Housing Allocations scheme is vital in a borough with more than 3,000 households on its housing register and only around 400 homes – the majority studio or one-bedroom properties – available each year.
With the same number of households joining the register each year as are housed, it would take eight years to find a home for everyone even if nobody new joined.
Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith, Lead Member for Grenfell, Housing and Social Investment, said:
There is an obvious gap between the demand for social housing and its availability not just in our borough, but across London, and that leaves many families languishing in temporary accommodation in the hope that a permanent home becomes available.
We are doing what we can to increase the amount of good quality homes, including building 600 new properties with at least 300 at social rent, but we have to make some stark choices about how we allocate our small supply of housing.
That’s why I urge our residents to share their experiences and opinions to help us develop a fair and responsive allocations scheme that truly helps those with the greatest need.
The consultation is open now and will run until Thursday 24 February 2022. To take part, visit the Council’s consultation portal.