A commitment to develop a joint action plan to increase the number of genuinely affordable homes in Newham.
The commitment came in the second week of Mayor Fiaz’s mayoralty after James Murray visited a potential development site owned by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in Newham. They were joined on the visit by Councillor John Gray, Cabinet Member for Housing Services. Issues discussed included how to increase housing supply and how to address homelessness.
This meeting is the second high profile housing figure to visit the borough since Mayor Fiaz became Mayor two weeks ago. Last week, she welcomed the Shadow Secretary of State for Housing John Healey MP who visited the Carpenters Estate in Stratford.
Mayor Fiaz said: “I was delighted to welcome James Murray to Newham in the second week of my mayoralty. Collaborative working with the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority is essential to tackling the capital’s housing crisis and I look forward to working closely together in the future.
“Newham has more than 26,000 households on the housing register, over 4,800 families living in temporary accommodation and high levels of homelessness. As I have stated previously, residents will be at the heart of all my housing policies. I am committed to tackling these problems and increasing the number of homes which are genuinely affordable to the many families desperate for somewhere sustainable to live.”
James Murray said: “I was very pleased to visit Newham, and meet with Mayor Fiaz just the day after the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, launched Building Council Homes for Londoners – the first-ever City Hall programme dedicated to building new council housing.
“Sadiq has bold targets to build more social rented and other genuinely affordable homes. Councils’ homebuilding is a key part of that, and we look forward to working with Mayor Fiaz and her team to support their exciting and ambitious plans for Newham and Newham residents.”
Finding solutions to housing issues faced by many residents is one of Mayor Fiaz’s main priorities. In order to tackle the housing crisis, she has pledged:
- To build at least 1,000 new council owned homes at social rent levels by 2022 and start to build 100 in her first year
- A new housing delivery plan in the first six months
- Tackle homelessness with compassion and care so the homeless are housed within Newham, where possible
- To explore innovative forms of temporary accommodation and Housing First Approach which offers permanent, affordable housing as quickly as possible for individuals and families experiencing homelessness as well as providing support services to help them avoid returning to homelessness.