Gideon Gold’s Post

📢 Government Action on Housing Shortage! On October 18, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing Angela Rayner took bold steps to address the UK’s housing shortage. In a decisive move, Rayner “called in” a significant planning application in Swale Borough Council for around 8,000 homes, effectively removing the decision-making power from local councillors and the Local Planning Authority (LPA). Swale Borough Council has faced challenges meeting housing targets, and this development proposal included extensive infrastructure and sustainability features. Despite the council’s planning committee leaning towards refusal, Rayner’s intervention means the decision will now be made through an independent inquiry—ensuring an objective assessment of the project. This is a clear signal from the government: if local councils struggle or hesitate to meet housing needs, national authorities will step in. Centralising certain planning decisions can help overcome local opposition, keep projects on track, and accelerate the construction needed to achieve the target of 1.5 million homes. 👏 For many in the housing sector, this is encouraging news. However, it may be concerning for areas where residents feel overdevelopment is occurring without adequate infrastructure to support it. While some may see this as a necessary move for progress, others worry it overlooks essential infrastructure needs and community impacts. #HousingCrisis #AngelaRayner #PlanningReform #UKHousing #HousingDevelopment #NIMBY

🏡 Two Cabinet councillors are urging the government to allow Lewes District Council to proceed with its Local Plan, despite national planning reforms that could cause delays. 🏢 Council Leader Zoe Nicholson and Laurence O'Connor, Cabinet Member for Planning and Infrastructure, have written to Angela Rayner MP, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government. They are encouraging town and parish councils within the district to send similar letters in support, advocating for the Local Plan to move forward as planned rather than be delayed by the new policy changes, which they warn would have "very negative repercussions." 🏘 Councillor Nicholson explained, "These reforms would require us to redo much of our completed work and identify additional housing sites, directly opposing what our community expressed during extensive Local Plan consultations." 🏠 With Lewes District Council already designated for major development planning applications, councillors believe that any delays to the Local Plan would increase the likelihood of unplanned developments. #homes #houses #development #newbuild #building

Likely changes in housing policy under the next administration - Post 5/5: AFFH, Housing Supply, Zoning, Anti-Nimbyism etc. 1. You can be near certain that the Biden Administration's Proposed (February 2023) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule (AFFH) will be suspended and cancelled. On Day One. 2. P25 proposes eliminating the Housing Supply Plan and Housing Supply Fund. 3. There is some debate as to whether the anti-anti-Nimby wording in Project 25 from Dr. Ben Carson actually represents the views of the administration? Quoting directly from the P25 document: "...local autonomy and the ability of cities, towns, neighborhoods, and communities to choose for themselves the sort of housing they want to allow." (p. 511). "It is essential that legislation provides states and localities maximal flexibility to pursue locally designed policies and minimize the likelihood of federal preemption of local land use and zoning decisions." (p. 511) 4. Emphasis on preserving single-family-only zoning.

The Biden administration recently sent its Economic Report of the President to Congress with a whole chapter entitled "Increasing the Supply of Affordable Housing." In that report, the White House suggested actions the federal government could take to encourage communities to change to local land-use and zoning regulations. The report states that “limiting housing density and building heights or imposing minimum lot sizes or parking requirements—can create artificial barriers that hinder growth and drive up the cost of housing.” To overcome these barriers, “public funds could be tied to zoning reforms and used to reduce financing constraints for affordable housing developments, and workforce training could increase the supply of labor used to construct housing.” More from Globest: https://ow.ly/Y44X30sBnua #housingmarket #housing #policy #zoning #housingdemand #housingcrisis

More insight from Lawrence Turner on this important issue

Councils need planning flexibility 🏠 The LGA has outlined how government must work with councils to give them the flexibility to deliver new housing. Greater flexibility would allow councils to make the right decisions for their communities, rather than be made to hit mandatory housing targets. Read more 👇👇 https://lnkd.in/e2Vpn2mV Local Government Association Adam Hug #Planning #Housing #LocalGovernment #Government

1. Demand vs. Supply: The high demand for affordable housing outpaces the limited supply, driving up rental prices. 2. Rising Construction Costs: Increased material and labor costs make building affordable housing challenging without financial aid. 3. Zoning Regulations: Strict zoning laws and land use regulations hinder affordable housing development and raise land costs. 4. Funding Issues: Securing financing for affordable housing projects is tough, relying heavily on competitive government subsidies and grants. 5. NIMBYism: Community opposition (Not In My Backyard) can delay or block affordable housing projects due to concerns over property values and neighborhood changes. 6. Maintenance: Existing affordable housing often struggles with funding for repairs, leading to deteriorating living conditions. Questions to consider❓ • What innovative solutions could address the affordable housing shortage? • How can policymakers balance affordable housing needs with community concerns? • What role should private developers play in solving the affordable housing crisis? #RealEstate #AffordableLiving #HousingSolutions #PropertyManagement #RealEstateDevelopment #UrbanDevelopment #SustainableHousing

The Biden administration recently sent its Economic Report of the President to Congress with a whole chapter entitled "Increasing the Supply of Affordable Housing." In that report, the White House suggested actions the federal government could take to encourage communities to change to local land-use and zoning regulations. The report states that “limiting housing density and building heights or imposing minimum lot sizes or parking requirements—can create artificial barriers that hinder growth and drive up the cost of housing.” To overcome these barriers, “public funds could be tied to zoning reforms and used to reduce financing constraints for affordable housing developments, and workforce training could increase the supply of labor used to construct housing.” More from Globest: https://ow.ly/k1g830sBy7F #housingmarket #housing #policy #zoning #housingdemand #housingcrisis

Earlier this week, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced it was handing over new powers to councils to buy land for development through compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), which removes ‘hope value’ costs, in a bid to support the delivery of more social and affordable housing. The intention is to make it cheaper and easier for local authorities to buy and transform land and to enables local authorities to build much-needed homes more quickly. Lawrence Turner, a Director at Boyer, says: "This may seem beneficial at first glance — giving local authorities the ability to overcome financial and viability barriers to delivering housing. But my concern is that it will be ineffective and time-consuming, CPO is a lengthy and costly process, and many local authorities will lack the resources to do so." Here, Lawrence shares his thoughts on the DLUHC's announcement: https://lnkd.in/eeaUsmJD #councils #localauthorities #compulsorypurchaseorders #landacquisition #socialhousing #affordablehousing #newpowers #development #newhomes

The Biden administration recently sent its Economic Report of the President to Congress with a whole chapter entitled "Increasing the Supply of Affordable Housing." In that report, the White House suggested actions the federal government could take to encourage communities to change to local land-use and zoning regulations. The report states that “limiting housing density and building heights or imposing minimum lot sizes or parking requirements—can create artificial barriers that hinder growth and drive up the cost of housing.” To overcome these barriers, “public funds could be tied to zoning reforms and used to reduce financing constraints for affordable housing developments, and workforce training could increase the supply of labor used to construct housing.” More from Globest: https://ow.ly/ggwK30sBo54 #housingmarket #housing #policy #zoning #housingdemand #housingcrisis