Affordable Homes for Key Workers: TUC Congress 2023 Composite 07

 

This is the speech I made as a UNISON delegate at last months TUC Congress about "Affordable Homes for Key Workers". 

President, Congress, John Gray, from UNISON speaking in support of Composite 7. 

This motion highlights the profound impact of the housing crisis on all key workers across both public and private sectors.  My day job is being a housing worker London for a large Housing Association. I work in a regional team providing housing services to over 23,000 homes and to many vulnerable residents spread across North London.

In my own particular team, why is it Congress, that I am one of the very few who lives in the area we serve, North London?

Hardly any of the others are able to afford to live in the region and they have to undertake expensive and exhausting commutes before and after, a demanding days’ work.

While inadequate pay is one important reason, the main reason that I can live in North London is simply my age. Despite my youthful looks, I was lucky enough to be working in London at a time when a housing worker could afford to buy a one-bedroom flat in the late 1980s, on a multiple of just over 3x their annual wage. 

But due to house inflation vastly outstripping pay, there is no way that my colleagues on current wages could afford to buy the very same flat in 2023 since this same flat would require a multiple of nearly 9x their salary.

As a UNISON NEC member for all Housing Association and Charity workers, I know this is not just a “London” thing. In all our regions and nations, the housing crisis is worsening and blighting the experience of citizens and key workers, especially the low paid.

Congress, this composite recognises the devastating impact of the crisis on the provision of critical services across the board, and how this is having a detrimental effect on recruitment and retention, especially in services such as health and social care.

UNISON evidence shows that rising rents, mortgage rates and transport costs are putting rocket boosters on the cost-of-living crisis. This is pushing people into financial hardship, poverty and homelessness, with many having to cut back on food and essentials.

The churn of our members who are forced to leave high-cost housing areas is putting a strain on key workers, production and on service delivery.

Congress, the housing secretary Michael Gove has admitted that the Government should build more homes of every type, each year, especially social homes, but it is failing to build sufficient numbers of these homes, which is so desperately needed.

That is why we must step up pressure on the Government and political parties to take action to resolve the housing crisis by committing to building more social and more genuinely affordable homes in their manifestos for the next General Election. We have to be honest that this will require money, this will require government subsidy.

This should be at the heart of any strategy to alleviate the housing crisis.

Thank you, Congress, please support this motion".

You can put pressure on the government - Give all key workers a pay rise

 

John, the spring budget takes place in just a few weeks. UNISON is joining the TUC and sister unions to pressure the government to end the public sector pay freeze and give all key workers a pay rise.     This is how you can help:   Come to a meeting with your MP Activists across the country are running online meetings with their MPs. You can search for your constituency, see if there’s a meeting where you live and RSVP today.    RSVP to a meeting   If you’re able to join a local meeting, it will make a huge difference. You can make sure key workers where you live feel supported and your MP pays attention.   Record a video message If you’re a key worker, you can get your story in front of MPs by recording a video message.   Record a video message   We’ll use the videos with politicians and on social media to help build the campaign. Your own story is one of the most powerful arguments we have. You will make a difference in increasing pressure for change. Don’t worry if you’ve never done anything like this before; the tool will help you through the process and make it easy.   Please take a minute to support the campaign. Come to a meeting or record a video message now. You could make all the difference.    RSVP to a meeting   Record a video message   Thank you, Liz Snape UNISON assistant general secretary

"We can build a better society"

Key workers have got us through this. Let’s build a better society for them. We can’t go back to business as usual. Agree? Sign this.

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One Housing Group suspends rent rises for West Ham key workers

Good news that One Housing Group has agreed to suspend the imposition of up to 40% rent rises and new contracts on a key workers scheme near West Ham station. Well done for the tenants for standing up for themselves and for One Housing Group for (belatedly) putting the changes on hold pending negotiations with their tenant association.

I am meeting OHG as a Newham Councillor on Wednesday lunchtime. 

40% RENT UP - CAN'T PAY - WILL STAY! Message To One Housing Group

Photo from last night's planning and action meeting of the Newham key workers facing massive rent rises by the Charitable Landlord, One Housing Group. The tenants are living in housing blocks that were handed over to the Housing Association in 1997 by Newham Council, in order to provide accommodation for predominantly low paid junior teachers, care workers, health workers, social workers and teaching assistants at reduced rents in order for them to work locally in essential public services. They are now facing huge overnight rent rises of up to 40%. Many of them cannot afford to pay the increases and face moving out of London or even eviction. Some of them have been there for 20 years.

I was there with local Canning Town North ward Councillor, Kay Scoresby, and my fellow West Ham Councillor, John Whitworth, to support the tenants.  There was other supporters from trade unions and local trade councils as well as One Housing Group tenants from other parts of London. 

I told the meeting that I had received yet another grossly inadequate "fob off" response from One Housing to my second letter to them. Our local MP, Lyn Brown, had also received a nonsensical reply to her letter. It is beyond belief that a regulated housing provider refuses to fully respond to questions from elected local and national representatives. 

I made it clear to the meeting that unless I get proper replies to my questions I will have no alternative but to make a complaint to the Housing Regulator. 

At the meeting tenants collectively and democratically decided to continue with the campaign and take things to the next stage. The senior management and Board of One Housing Group have so far ignored their polite requests to meet and discuss the issues with them, so they feel that they have no choice but to escalate their campaign. Watch this space. 

"West Ham tenants’ anger over 40 per cent rent hike"

"A group of tenants is up in arms after their landlord announced a 40 per cent rent hike...

Eve Whitcombe and Jamil Khair (picture right) will have to pay a 40 per cent rent hike or leave their home of the past 18 years. Picture: Jon King

The neighbours live in flats reserved for key workers - who have jobs in schools and hospitals - with cheaper rents than market rates, but their landlord One Housing Group have said they should pay more or get out.

Tenant and retired NHS secretary Eve Whitcombe, who has lived in one of the West Ham buildings affected for almost 20 years, said: “We like it here. We wouldn’t want to move.

“They’re going to lose an awful lot of good people. It’s difficult to recruit teachers and NHS staff. Newham will be in deep trouble if they’re going to push keyworkers out of the area,” said 62-year-old Eve.

According to Eve, tenants received letters from One Housing last month telling them their rent would rise by 40pc on April 1 claiming people were subletting, but even now their landlords refuse to meet them in person to discuss the increase, which would add £200 to her monthly rent.

Now the neighbours - who live in Teasel Way - have signed a new, annual tenancy agreement and will be forced to pay up or leave their homes within two months.

“I want to feel secure at my age,” Eve added. “We feel One Housing are being greedy.”

Eve’s partner Jamil, a paediatric nurse, said: “There would be no difficulty finding jobs out of the borough because of the huge shortage of nurses and teachers.”

A One Housing spokesman said: “These homes are not general needs social housing. We offer them at a discounted rent as part of our mission to create homes that people with all incomes can afford.

“To make sure we are fair to all our residents, we look to charge appropriate rent according to the tenancy arrangements. In this case, we discovered a historic error by a predecessor organisation that meant residents have been underpaying for a significant period.

“As this rent is similar to a general needs rent some residents may have believed that they are general needs tenants,” he added.

“We recognise a rent increase is never welcome, which is why we are increasing them gradually and have talked to residents throughout to give as much notice as possible.”

The spokesman also said the homes remain excellent value for money and that since a public meeting on March 20 a number of people who attended had contacted One Housing looking for a home to rent at the new rate.

Cllr John Gray, who has met with tenants, said: “Myself and other councillors were horrified to hear about this. It is going to drive out key workers who perform vital public services for the people of Newham. What we know is that it is practically impossible for teaching assistants and care assistants to either rent or buy anymore unless key worker accommodation is secured.

“We are going to struggle over time to get staff for our schools and hospitals and care communities.

“I am really disappointed that One Housing is planning to do this without prior consultation, not just for residents but with key stakeholders like the council and local councillors.”

Hat tip Newham Recorder for story and picture. Check out my blog on the scandal here. It would seem from above that One Housing are planning to raise the rents even more than 40% and that its Comms team must live in LaLa land if they believe that the key workers who attended the meeting last week wanted to pay the new rate. 

I am still waiting for a reply to my Councillor members enquiry from One Housing about why are they doing this and asking them to put the increase on hold until at least they meet residents and explain what they are doing. I have been told that I will get a reply by Friday 31 March (which is a whole day before the rent is increased on 1 April 2017). 

One Housing Group 40% rent rise for key workers update

Last Monday evening I attended a lively public meeting with One Housing Association tenants from across Newham, who are facing a 40% plus increase in their rents. These tenants are "key workers" who work in local hospitals, schools and social/care services.

Some of them have lived in their flats since 1997 and will have to leave their homes and their jobs if the rents are increased by this amount. This is not only a personal disaster to these tenants but will also mean Newham residents will lose key public service professionals.

The way One Housing Group has handled this is simply appalling. There has been no proper consultation and tenants have been given contradictory and misleading reasons and documentation. I have asked as a Councillor for the rent rises to be put on hold until at least One Housing Group agrees to meet its tenants collectively and explain why they feel they have to do this.

The key workers, as you would expect, are reasonable and pragmatic people but they are up for a fight if One Housing decides to provoke one.

One Housing Group raises rents for Newham key workers by 40%

Tomorrow I will be attending this public meeting in the evening to discuss One Housing Group plan to impose new tenancy agreements and massive rent rises on a number of "key worker" tenants in Manor Road, E15.

These "key workers" are employed by local schools, NHS hospitals and social care organisations and live in a housing block that was transferred to the Housing Association (then called Toynbee) by Newham Council in 1997.

I have written to the Council asking it for any information regarding the transfer and to One Housing Group asking them for why they are making these changes and also asking them to stop the rent rises until at least they meet with their tenants, explain what they are doing and understand the harm that they will be causing.

I have spoken to tenants who have lived in the block since 1997 and will not be able to afford to pay the new rents and will be forced to move out of their flat and possibly move out of London.

Due to rocketing London rents many public service employers are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit staff and the last thing that we need in Newham is for experienced and skilled public servants to be forced to leave their jobs and homes.

One Housing Group have acknowledged my request and I have been told that I will receive a full response "in due course"