Hugh James hosted the Affordable Housing Review: Panel Discussion on 23rd September 2019 in partnership with Positif Politics and Community Housing Cymru. The event brought representatives from across the housing sector in Wales together to discuss the review of affordable housing supply and how the recommendations will work in practice.
The video looks at the key dates within the Independent Review of Affordable Housing Supply and hears from key panelists at the event, capturing the views of a broad spectrum of stakeholders on the review.
Stuart Ropke, Community Housing Cymru chief executive, said:
The reality is everybody is affected by the housing crisis in Wales.If you are homeless on the streets; sofa surfing with your friends; if you are a parent whose child can’t afford to get on the housing market; or someone who’s waiting on those waiting lists for desperately needed affordable housing: it absolutely affects everybody. Events like this are really, really useful for the social housing sector.”
It is clear that for local authorities sharing skills and resources is going to be a key solution to a difficult challenge. Where many local authorities that have their own stock have not built in years, these partnerships and shared skills are going to be the fundamental missing link that will enable them to do so.
Richard Macphail, Hugh James head of social housing, comments:
If we are to see more collaboration, I think we need to have more relationship building, particularly between housing associations and local authorities, so that the individuals that are able to push forward these projects are familiar with each other, able to work together, with a view to building more affordable homes in all areas.”
