empty homes strategy

Lots of news items and some interesting links

John Healey announced £1M to fund empty homes work in 17 local authority areas, particularly targeted at anti-social long-term empty properties.

The areas selected were chosen against the following criteria:

• among the 60 local authorities with the highest level of empty homes
• in need of improvement through the red flag CAA process
• willing to do somehing
• ability to provide matched resources

Here are signs of a response to NAEPP's proposals in Creating a National Empty Homes Initiative. The importance of the empty homes champion or co-ordinator is being recognised.  Our proposal for match-funding has been taken up.  It remains a shame that NAEPP's potential is insufficiently recognised: "The Empty Homes Agency and the Chartered Institute of Housing will work with the Homes and Communities Agency Academy on a programme of targeted consultancy to help develop skills and expertise in the 17 local authorities involved".   Possibly we are not expensive enough to warrant support.

These are the detailed descriptors for the Strategic Approach to Housing KLOE

Under the new arrangements, the descriptors and evidence are only given in detail for Fair and Good levels of attainment.  The Audit Commission does not want to constrain innovation by dictating what should be considered as "Excellent"

The references to empty homes occur under KLOE 1.3 on page 8 and, more significantly, under KLOE 3.2 on page 17.

KLOE 3.2 is "There is an effective approach to improving the quality and use of existing housing and promoting sustainable neighbourhoods".

The descriptor for a Good rating is as follows:

"The council is making best use of existing housing through well-integrated investment programmes, effectively tartgeting of high-quality advice, grants and loans, use of enforcement powers, and good use of its own and external funding to address affordable warmth issues and meet Home Energy Conservation Act targets.  As a result, it is successful in reducing the levels of empty homes, tackling fuel poverty and improving private sector housing conditions. ..."

This is the actual KLOE (see separate document for the descriptors).

Empty homes is referenced in section 3.2 on page 6.

This 30-page document is of relevance to all empty homes practitioners not just those in London. There are many good (London-based) best-practice examples and case studies.

Jointly produced with the IdEA, this 28-page guide is probably the best overview of empty homes work for the local authority practitioner currently available.