Allocation Policy for New Build Housing 1. Recommendations a) Apply the Council s priority criteria for the allocation of new build housing. b) Use the greater flexibility offered within the JMB s Better Fit policy to make the best use of existing properties released by tenants moving into the new build properties to meet other JMB tenants housing needs. c) Build mostly one bedroom flats, for tenants willing to down-size. d) Build a limited number of four bedroom flats. 2) Introduction The JMB Board and CBS Steering Committee need to consider the policy that will be used to allocate the new build housing. The point has been reached where a brief needs to be written for the architect the JMB has commissioned to work on the Weston Street/ Guy Street site, specifying the bed sizes that are needed. With the possible exception of one site Southwark Council will provide the land for the new housing. The Council may also provide the finance for the new housing. For this reason it makes sense for the JMB to adopt the Council s approach to prioritising re-housing applicants. The application of the Council s approach to the allocation of new build will mean that existing JMB properties will be released and be available for re-letting. These existing properties can be allocated according to the JMB s Better Fit Local Lettings Policy, creating a chain of benefit. The JMB residents that can potentially be helped by being re-housed in existing properties rather than new build ones, are: JMB tenants in housing need, but are not prioritised for new build housing. JMB tenants willing to down-size but need/ would like one more bedroom than their Southwark Council assessed need. New households created within a JMB tenancy. These will be a JMB tenant s family members recorded as lawful occupants on the tenancy agreement, who have become adults and want to form their own independent household. The Council is in the process of up-dating its policy. The information contained in this report is based on the latest information provided to the JMB, but there is still the possibility of further changes.
3) Basic Requirements For a JMB tenant to be considered for a new build property they should be registered on the Southwark s Housing List and defined as in housing need. Southwark is currently considering whether the residence qualification should be 2 or 5 years. Secondly, there should be no breach of tenancy, such as rent arrears, anti-social behaviour and unlawful sub-letting. The no rent arrears criteria can be waived for tenants willing to downsize, because lowering their rent makes it easier for them to clear their arrears. 4) Southwark Council s Re-housing Priorities The Council decides a tenant s priority for re-housing by bands; band 1 being the highest and band 4 the lowest. Within these bands tenants are put in order of priority according to their length of time on the housing list. Band 1 Band 2 Band 3 Under-occupiers tenants whose current home is too big for them who want to move to a smaller home. Tenants whose existing home is being redeveloped (not relevant to JMB tenants). Urgent medical priority people who have a serious illness or disability which is made worse by their current home and they face a risk to life or serious deterioration in health if they remain in their current home. It is based on the assessment of the inter-connection between someone s health condition and their housing; rather than solely a consideration of how serious their medical condition is. People who need to be moved for their protection or to stop them from being harassed and who are at significant risk in their own home (most JMB tenants will need to move out of the JMB area). People who have more than one priority reason, such as being overcrowded and being in medical priority. Homeless people who the council must house (not relevant to JMB tenants). People who live in overcrowded homes and are short of at least one bedroom.
Intermediate medical priority - people whose significant illness or disability is made worse by their current home or who need to move to improve their medical condition. Band 4 Everyone who does not fall into the three bands above. Band 4 includes adult family members who need their own home. 5) Additional Priority within Bands Within these bands Southwark will give addition priority to those leaving the armed forces, people moving for employment reasons or those making a voluntary or community contribution. Within the Better Fit policy the JMB will give additional priority to those engaged in community activity. However, like most social housing providers the JMB has not discussed how this will work in practice. 6) JMB Housing Needs Research The plan is to contact every JMB tenant and discussed whether they are in housing need, by February 2014. Housing need analysis has been undertaken of tenants who live on Kipling, Meakin and Elim estates. 224 residents have been interviewed; this represents 21% of all JMB tenants. On the basis of research to-date 35% of all of the tenants interviewed had a need to move or wanted to move to a more suitable home. The table below sets out by bed size their need/ preference. Also it sets out the best fit that can be achieved between need and property size.
Table 1 Properties Excess/Needed (-) Bedroom Size Number needed Number released Bedroom Size Numbers 0 (studio) 8 7 0 (studio) -1 1 28 18 1-10 2 27 29 2 2 3 13 12 3-1 4 4 0 4-4 Total 80 66 Total -14 The absolute number of properties needed for the 224 tenants interviewed to-date is 80. With the highest need being for one and two beds. However, when an adjustment is made for over-crowded households being able to move into properties vacated by tenants downsizing the predominate need is for one bedroom flats. Whilst the best fit presented in the table one will not happen so perfectly in real life the need to build predominately one-beds is clear. For instance some tenants may not be prepared to move from one estate to another. Based on a 58% sample there is a need for another 4 four-bed roomed properties. The need for one bedroom flats is re-enforced by the analysis of tenants who are underoccupying below. These are the tenants that the JMB wishes to tempt to down-size and they enjoy highest priority within the Southwark scheme. A need for two bedroom flats emerges. The issue is whether an existing JMB two bedroom flat will be tempting enough to encourage a tenant occupying a three bedroom flat to down-size. If so the requirement for two bed roomed flats is reduced. Table 2 Under-Occupying Tenants Bedroom size released Bedroom size entitled 0 (studio) 0 0 1 0 8 2 4 4 3 8 0 4 0 0 Total 12 12
Overcrowding is the biggest reason why people need to move. Health and mobility is the second biggest reason. The profile of JMB residents is getting older. As many JMB properties have external stairs and no lift and/or internal stairs the need for flexible housing that people can continue to live in even their health deteriorates is becoming more acute. Table 3 Reasons for need to move Reason for Move Elim Meakin Kipling Total Overcrowded 15 5 11 31 Bedroom Tax 1 1 3 5 Health/mobility 5 2 10 17 2+ households 3 2 6 11 Move out of area 0 2 1 3 Other reason 7 2 4 13 Total 31 14 35 80 7) Main Conclusions from the Research a) Under-occupiers are the key to releasing the numbers of larger properties needed to assist those who are in over-crowded homes. b) There is a need for life time housing for older tenants, who have or may develop health and mobility problems. c) Some older residents or those with significant health problems are really keen to have an extra bedroom so that a family member/ carer can provide them with support when needed. This preference may often not fulfil Southwark s strict criteria of why an extra bedroom is required. d) Freeing-up smaller, un-lifted properties on higher floors could create opportunities for those in the lower priority Bands 3-4, including those who are overcrowded and family members of tenants who need their own homes. e) Family members wanting to live independently are mostly young, childless households needing smaller properties. f) The Housing Survey results shows that 35% (80) of the tenants interviewed have a reason to move that falls within Southwark s existing allocations policy. If this result is applied to the whole JMB estate of 1041 tenants, then 364 tenants have a need to move or want to move to a more suitable home
g) By enabling a tenant to move to a more suitable home, their own property becomes vacant, which gives another tenant the chance to benefit by moving into the vacated property. The longer the chain the more tenants can benefit h) The survey results show that there are already a number of under-occupying tenants who would be willing to downsize if a suitable property was available, this would then free-up larger properties for families who are currently overcrowded. i) There are older tenants who may wish to downsize but who would need intensive support from the JMB to assist with them with the process of moving home, as well as the financial incentives available. j) Awarding additional priority to people who are making a voluntary or community contribution may assist those who are in the lower priority Bands to access housing.
Version control: Jane Mepham 2.12.13