Building homes for local people
The need for more housing
Nationally there is a desperate need for more housing and in Hounslow the situation is no different. There are simply not enough affordable, quality homes for people on a range of incomes and we’re actively working to meet this growing need, one building block at a time. Whether you’re a homeowner, in a shared ownership scheme, or renting, we believe having your own home is everyone’s right.
The housing crisis has led to greater overcrowding, increased homelessness, unaffordable house prices, and rent rises which have outpaced earnings. The average property price in Hounslow is now 12 times the average income, up from eight times just five years ago. With a growing population in Hounslow, it’s clear to see the increase in demand for housing must be tackled head on.
The housing crisis is exacerbated by factors including:
- Hounslow’s growing population recorded as 288,181 in the 2021 census, which grew 14% from 2011.
- Rising rent and housing costs associated with the volatile rent market and exacerbated by rising inflation.
- Continuous welfare reforms including benefit cuts and Universal Credit
While the size of our housing register is on the increase, the number of households for which we are able to find permanent accommodation has decreased, further highlighting an increasing shortage of suitable homes.
What we’re already doing to tackle the housing crisis:
- We encourage tenants to downsize so they can release large properties for homeless families
- We acquire properties from private landlords through private lease schemes
- We make sure housing association partners give us our full quota of properties for clients on our housing register
- We buy back from leaseholders who no longer wish to own their property
- We purchase new and existing properties across the borough
