Friday, September 26, 2025

Peter Apps: “Homesick” Book Launch

Last Thursday I went to the launch of a new book by award winning housing journalist Pete Apps (and someone born and brought up in Newham). 

The launch was in the Wanstead Tap and had been organised via Newham Bookshop (were you can order the book https://www.newhambooks.co.uk/). I have come across Pete professionally, a number of tomes over the years.

Below is a quote from Pete about his book

“I was born into a city where housing was affordable. But I've grown up into one where it was not. What has gone wrong in London over the last 35 years? And where is it going in the future?   

My new book, Homesick, tells that story. Out Sept 25  amazon.co.uk/Homesick-How-H…”

Pete read extracts from his book then answered questions from the audience. My question was whether to solve the housing affordability crisis there needs once again to be sufficient public subsidy of social rents and mortgages? Pete thought that the public would not accept the increases of taxation necessary to pay for this. He instead thought housing taxation could help solve the crisis.

I brought the book and got Pete to sign it and he also offered some written supportive advice about my employer :-)

By coincidence, later that night I joined colleagues to take part in the bimonthly Newham Rough Sleeping count.
 

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