Poor homes, poor health – to heat or to eat? Private sector tenant choices in 2012

Posted on: 20 November 2012
By: mackene
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The Pro Housing Alliance has published a report of preliminary research into the health impact of welfare reforms for families living in private rented accommodation. The report is based on interviews with advice agencies and tenants.

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Delivering good homes: Defining, planning, designing, managing and financing. London, 25 October 2012

Posted on: 20 November 2012
By: mackene
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The conference took participants through the process of achieving good homes. Presentations were given on why building performance in new homes matters, including for energy performance and health and well being and how to deliver this with innovation and quality assurance processes. Other topics covered include housing and community management; management plans for the Bicester Eco town; and new financing models and solutions for good homes. Presentations are available online.

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Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance: London Plan 2011 Implementation Framework

Posted on: 19 November 2012
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The SPG provides guidance on how to implement the housing policies in the 2011 London Plan (LP). In particular, it provides detail on how to carry forward the Mayor’s view that “providing good homes for Londoners is not just about numbers. The quality and design of homes, and the facilities provided for those living in them, are vital to ensuring good liveable neighbourhoods”. It is informed by the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework and by its Housing Strategy for England.

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Brickonomics building blog

Posted on: 16 November 2012
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This blog site, hosted by Building magazine, reports in trends on construction, housing and property.

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The death of a dream: the crisis in home ownership in the UK

Posted on: 16 November 2012
By: mackene
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The dream of home ownership is dying in Britain, undoing a century of social progress, according to a report by the HomeOwners Alliance, a new organisation championing those who own and want to own their own home.

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Building new homes for rent: Creating a tipping point

Posted on: 16 November 2012
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A new approach to increasing the supply of privately rented housing through institutional investment is proposed in this report, published by the Building and Social Housing Foundation. Drawing on experts from a range of sectors, the report discusses the current barriers to the build-to-let market in the UK and presents a model that can address these by bringing together housing associations and institutional investors to develop and manage market rented homes. This report contains a large number of useful references.

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Government corporate website

Posted on: 16 November 2012
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On 15 November 2012 the Department for Transport (DFT) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), along with 3 of their public bodies became the first central government organisations to move their corporate and policy content onto the new GOV.UK website – the new single home for all government services and information. The Inside Government section on GOV.UK is designed to make it simpler, clearer and faster to find out: how government works; what the government is doing; and how you can get involved. All web addresses have been redirected, so you don’t need to update your bookmarks, but you might want to make a note of the new addresses:

www.gov.uk/dclg – Department for Communities and Local Government

www.gov.uk/dft – Department for Transport

www.gov.uk/dsa – Driving Standards Agency

www.gov.uk/brac – Building Regulations Advisory Committee

www.gov.uk/pins – The Planning Inspectorate

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Social housing sales in England: 2011 to 2012

Posted on: 16 November 2012
By: mackene
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This statistical release presents official statistics on the number of sales of existing social housing stock in England for 2011 to 2012. Social housing sales include sales under right to buy, preserved right to buy, right to acquire, social homebuy, other outright or shared equity sales to tenants, and sales of existing stock to the private sector.

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The Housing Report: The coalition’s mid-term review

Posted on: 15 November 2012
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In their third Housing Report the National Housing Federation, Shelter and The Chartered Institute of Housing say overcrowding, homelessness, housing costs and affordability in the private rental market are all getting worse, reflecting the rising numbers of people struggling to keep a roof over their head. The report adds that in four other areas including housing supply, planning and homeownership the government has made ‘no progress’. Despite a stream of initiatives aimed at getting the housing market moving house building remains at historic lows.

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Enhancing the efficiency of the infant mortgage finance sector in post-revolution Egypt

Posted on: 14 November 2012
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The report looks at how to enhance the effectiveness of the existing infant mortgage finance sector and to expand the national mortgage loan base as a means of bridging the 3 million unit housing gap in Egypt. It is hoped that the policy recommendations provided in the report will prove useful to policy makers in Egypt and other developing and emerging economies that encounter similar socio-economic conditions and housing shortages.

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