“Before I became the cabinet lead for Housing Services in May 2018, I had worked in inner City housing for over 25 years and thought rather arrogantly I had seen it all. The squalor, deprivation and human misery I have seen while out with our licensing…Read more…
Rough sleeping disaster must be averted
Despite the government claiming that 90 per cent of all rough sleepers had been found a bed that was never the case at all. Some, with no recourse to public funds have been refused access. This…Read more…
“build affordable Homes for Heroes”
Very interesting (and topical) housing initiative led by G15
“Join us to build affordable Homes for Heroes
An alliance of housing associations, offsite manufacturing firms and many others across the property sector has launched a call to the private…Read more…
‘I’ve felt like I’m more at risk of exhaustion than COVID-19’
Homeless hostel team leader Sarah talks about how the coronavirus pandemic has made her and her colleagues’ jobs harder than ever
The article ‘I’ve felt like I’m more at risk of exhaustion than…Read more…
How to be a good lockdown neighbour
With everyone spending more time in their homes because of lockdown, the work of staff at housing associations is even more important in helping make sure everyone carries on being a good…Read more…
“Welcome to the new Red Brick blog! The place for progressive housing policy debate”
Check out the new home for Red Brick blog, if you are interested in housing policy and debate then this should be your first port of call. Read more…
COVID-19 housing help ‘doesn’t go far enough,’ says UNISON
The union welcomes help announced so far by the government, but calls for further action during the pandemic
The article COVID-19 housing help ‘doesn’t go far enough,’ says UNISON…Read more…
Stop Boris from stealing homes from low income families!
Despite the corona virus emergency we must also keep an eye out on what else the government is proposing.
UNISON has spotted that the Tories are proposing to stop local authorities using developers money (so called section 106 money) to fund homes for…Read more…
The government’s new housing proposals are ‘flawed’, says UNISON
The union calls on people to respond to the government’s consultation on it’s new scheme, which will not solve the housing crisis
The article The government’s new housing proposals are…Read more…
Reforming Private Renting: Sadiq Khan “Making… 7 May a referendum on rent controls”
Some really great policies on reforming our broken housing market in London. In Newham at least 48% of our homes are now privately rented. It is not unusual for a one bed flat to cost at least £1200 per month. 50% of our families live in poverty once y…Read more…
UNISON Housing Associations AGM 2020: Keynote speaker Tom Copley – London Deputy Mayor for Housing
“The Branch Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday, 19th of March (note change of date) from 6:00pm-8:00pm at London City Hall.This meeting is open to all members of UNISON Housing Associations Branch. At the meeting Branch Officers wi…Read more…
‘We are in the business of protecting the most vulnerable people’
Community conference sets out key policies in social care, housing, health and safety and much more
The article ‘We are in the business of protecting the most vulnerable people’ first appeared on…Read more…
Tory “First Homes Proposal” will further decimate affordable housing
The UK Government’s First Homes Scheme will lead to fewer social and affordable housing.
Check out UNISON Housing Association branch motion to our National Delegate Conference.
“Conference notes the UK government consultation which opened on the 7th …Read more…
Safe, Decent and Affordable Homes for All: UNISON’s vision for Housing
UNISON has launched a Housing manifesto. Over 1 million people are waiting on the housing list in England alone. While only 6500 social rented homes were built in 2017/18.
Do the maths.
60% of the housing budget goes on supporting home ownership (and…Read more…
Councils need some serious funding if they are to return to large-scale housebuilding
This is an article for Inside Housing magazine A week after the General Election Swindon Council leader David Renard wrote … MoreRead more…
UNISON calls for safe, decent and affordable homes for all
Union demands a housing policy that works for working people as it publishes a manifesto for a new decade
The article UNISON calls for safe, decent and affordable homes for all first appeared on the…Read more…
Newham Councillors on Tour
This morning I went on a visit to a regeneration site in Norwich with the Deputy Lead for Housing Services, Cllr Shaban Mohammed and the Chair of Regeneration and Housing Scrutiny, Cllr John Whitworth.
It was a really fascinating (and potentially impo…Read more…
Lewis in the morning on ReviveFM 94.0
Hat tip Tony Lewis Facebook who is also the joint chair of the Newham Homeless Action Group.
“This Morning on “Lewis in the morning” Breakfast Show on Revive FM 94.0, Cllr and Deputy Mayor for Housing, John Gray attended the Revive FM Stud…Read more…
The misery of being in opposition
Yesterday, I helped the Newham Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz, with her surgery at Canning Town Library (next to the “Keir Hardie” room).
Trying to help the long queue of residents with their housing misery was far, far worse than before the election since th…Read more…
100 Years of Council Housing (plus!) Bourne Estate, Holborn
Yesterday I went to a Housing & Regeneration Round-table on the Sadiq Khan Labour Mayoral manifesto for the May election with other London Council leads on Housing and regen.
I got lost looking for the venue but in doing so I had my own tour of th…Read more…