News

The economic climate is doing little to help Shepway  families looking for their own home, with affordability still a huge problem throughout the Kent according to a new report published today (Wednesday 11 November).

The National Housing Federation’s ‘South East Home Truths’ is being launched at the Palace of Westminster this morning.

Hosted by North West Hampshire MP, the Right Honourable Sir George Young, the event is being attended by other South East MPs, including North Thanet MP Roger Gale.

They will be joined by representatives from housing associations, the Tenant Services Authority, Homes and Communities Agency and local authorities.

The Federation’s report clearly highlights the ever increasing need for more affordable housing in the county as well as the wider region. The average house price for Kent in 2008 (£233,143) stood at nearly 11 times the average (median) individual income (£21,507), with even homes in the lowest quartile costing an average of £150,000.

Broken down by affordability, a ‘league table’ for Kent shows Sevenoaks as the least affordable part of the county and Dartford the most affordable:

Warren Finney, South East Regional Manager for the National Housing Federation said: “While we’ve been pleased to see the Government putting more cash into affordable housing, it’s vital that high levels of funding are maintained if we’re to avoid a housing crisis in the future.”

“Given the current state of the economy, where we are seeing increasing unemployment and repossessions, combined with a growing population and rises in overcrowding, home ownership’s just a dream for thousands of low-to-middle income households in the South East. The solution has got to be to invest in more high quality homes for social rent now, before prices begin to shoot up again.”

“Housing is at the heart of the solution to economic recovery, and the Government must ensure it remains a funding priority, enabling the region’s housing associations - who build the majority of affordable homes here – to deliver the high quality affordable housing we so desperately need.”

Barbara Thorndick, Chief Executive of West Kent Housing Association said: “The lack of affordable housing in the SE creates a huge divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’. Those people who have their own home whether bought or social rented are incredibly fortunate, those that don’t remain trapped in rootless uncertainty. This inequality must be addressed if we don’t want to see a rise in other social problems that will impact negatively on us all.”