Mayor of London allocates £492m to affordable homes

The allocation comes alongside the confirmation of six new strategic partners, in addition to the existing nine, taking the total number of GLA Strategic Partners to 15. The new partners are:

• The Connected Partnership, whose commitment to an additional 525 affordable homes takes their total allocation to 1,408 affordable homes.
• The Guinness Partnership, whose commitment to an additional 1,750 affordable homes takes their total allocation to 1,750 affordable homes.
• Home Group, whose commitment to an additional 955 affordable homes takes their total allocation to 1,000 affordable homes.
• Metropolitan Thames Valley, whose commitment to an additional 952 affordable homes takes their total allocation to 2,000 affordable homes.
• One Housing Group, whose commitment to an additional 1,042 affordable homes takes their total allocation to 1,692 affordable homes.
• Swan Housing Association, whose commitment to an additional 1,375 affordable homes takes their total allocation to 1,500 affordable homes.

James Murray, Deputy Mayor for housing and residential development, said: “I’m very pleased to announce our six new Strategic Partners, as this approach has proved successful in pushing what we can achieve together since we first introduced strategic partnerships two years ago. I look forward to working closely with all 15 housing associations who are now signed up to deliver tens of thousands of social rented and other genuinely affordable homes for Londoners.

“Together we now also need to make the case to Ministers that Government needs to step up and dramatically increase the funding available for affordable housing, and grant the Mayor new powers to allow him to bring forward land and build the homes Londoners so desperately need.”

However, not everyone is impressed with the Mayor’s track record on affordable housebuilding. The Mayor’s announcement comes on the same day as the London Assembly published highly critical report on the Mayor’s progress on affordable housebuilding.

Sian Berry AM, chair of the London Assembly Housing Committee, said: “The Mayor is letting down Londoners, he promised us more affordable housing but so far has fallen very short of his promises, particularly on social housing which is our greatest need.”

“With young and lower-income people suffering the most from the housing crisis, we can’t wait much longer for his policies to kick in. The Mayor must fulfil his pledges. It is in his power to ease the housing crisis and meet his targets – especially as he has received new funding.”