Housing Property Plan and Waiting List: Annual Report to the States

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A decision made 23 July 2012:

Decision Reference: MD-H-2012-0069

Decision Summary Title :

DS – Annual Property Plan and Waiting List Report to the States

Date of Decision Summary:

20 July 2012

Decision Summary Author:

Head of Policy & business Improvement

Decision Summary:

Public or Exempt?

(State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)

Public

Type of Report:

Oral or Written?

Oral

Person Giving

Oral Report:

Director of Strategic Development

Written Report

Title :

n/a

Date of Written Report:

n/a

Written Report Author:

n/a

Written Report :

Public or Exempt?

(State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)

n/a

Subject:

To acknowledge the year end States Rental Waiting List figures, Development Programme and sales though P6-2007 “The Social Housing Property Plan”

Decision(s):

The Minister decided to present the Annual Property Plan and Waiting List Report to the States.

Reason(s) for Decision:

During the debate which ultimately saw the approval of the Social Housing Property Plan 2007 – 2016 the Housing Minister made a commitment to report back to the States regularly on the progress of the Plan in action and on the level of the States Rental Waiting List. The Department has historically also presented the states Rental Waiting List and Development Programme to the States on an annual basis.

Resource Implications:

Financial: None

Action required:

Head of Policy & Business Improvement to refer the Report to the Assistant Greffier and Publications Editor for presentation to the States.

Signature:

Position:

Minister

Date Signed:

Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Housing Property Plan and Waiting List: Annual Report to the States

Property Plan and States Rental Waiting List Update Report for 2011

1. Introduction

In January 2012 the Affordable Housing Gateway was launched and significantly changed the manner in which demand for social rented housing is measured. To ensure adequate transition between the two systems the 2011 report has been intentionally delayed in order to include date from the first half of 2012.

2. Property Sales

Sales to States tenants

The following properties were sold, through the provision of the deferred payment scheme approved in P6/2007, to tenants during 2011:-

Property	FTB Value £
Tradewinds	430,000
3 Le Bel Gaudin	330,000
1 Grasett Park	345,000
59 Grasett Park	345,000
53 Oak Tree Gardens	355,000
Total	1,805,000

These sales, represent homes purchased by the current ‘sitting’ tenants and those properties which became void ‘vacant’ due to natural turnover and which were then sold to other States tenants who released their existing homes for re-letting. These processes ensured that what took place was effectively a change in tenure, no tenants were displaced and the sales did not adversely affect the rental waiting lists. Indeed, given that the income from these and previous sales were used to develop 34 new homes at Salisbury Crescent which were completed in June 2011, it could be said that these sales actually improved the waiting list position.

The sales were made with a deferred payment calculated according to the needs of the purchaser. This reduced the actual capital received on sale to £1,353,750 with the balance £451,250 being secured as deferred payment bonds against the respective properties.

Open Market Sales

The following properties were sold on the open market during 2011:-

Property	Sale Price £
Lewina, Victoria Road	310,000
Southlands, 18 Green Road	440,000
2 La Grande Maison	469,500
3 La Grande Maison	634,500
Total	1,854,000

3. Use of Sale Proceeds

As already mentioned above the sales contributed to the development of new homes at Salisbury Crescent and more generally the proceeds of the sales have contributed in meeting the demands of the Department’s capital programme and in starting to address the backlog of maintenance.

Completed Projects in 2011

Salisbury Crescent	New build development of 34 homes
Clos De Roncier	Hard landscaping to 65 homes
80 St Marks Road	Refurbishment of accommodation for Shelter*

Projects underway

Le Squez Phase 2	New build development of 60 homes*
La Collette Flats	New lifts in high rise block
Clos Gosset	Refurbishment of 85 homes
Pomme D’or Farm	Refurbishment of 86 homes*
Jardin Des Carreaux	Refurbishment of 50 homes

*Funded in part by capital advances from Treasury

Planned Projects

There is an extensive forward capital programme being developed to deal with the remainder of the maintenance backlog and to redevelop key sites which are capable of delivering additional affordable homes. This programme will be published annually in both the States and Department Business Plans.

Assets Acquired

The States approval of the Property Plan gave authority for the use of sale proceeds to acquire new units to meet the growing demand for ‘sheltered housing’, now more commonly referred to as ‘life-long homes’. This anticipated that a significant number of social rented life-long homes would have been developed by private sector developers and that opportunities would exist for the States to acquire at least some of these homes to help realign its social housing stock. Significant land was rezoned for this purpose in 2008 which indicated that some 337 new homes could be developed. However, mainly due to the financial climate very little development has been carried out, the exceptions being two Parish led schemes in St Peter and St Mary. Overall the lack of supply of the expected social rented life-long homes has frustrated efforts to realign the social stock so that it better meets the needs of the ageing population.

On a more positive note an additional 34 units were developed at Salisbury Crescent in 2011 and a further 60 homes were completed at Le Squez in May 2012.

4 (a) Waiting List Report 2011

The Waiting List* as at 1 January 2012 comprised 522 families/individuals. Comparison figures for the position at 1 January in previous years are:

2011 - 425

2010 - 385

2009 - 292

2008 - 254

2007 - 243

During 2011, 230 families/individuals were housed from the Waiting List*. Comparison figures for previous years are:

2010 - 206

2009 - 256

2008 - 235

2007 - 207

2006- 270

* These figures do not take into account those applicants who are existing States tenants awaiting a transfer to alternative accommodation, these are new waiting list applicants only.

Figures reported above and in previous years have only taken into account the demand evidenced on the Housing Departments waiting list. They did not take into account the “hidden” demand reflected in the various waiting lists being held separately by the Housing Trusts. The following Trusts have each held their own waiting lists since the commencement of operation:-

Name of Housing Trust	Number of Units
Jersey Homes Trust	741
Les Vaux Housing Trust	346
FB Cottages Housing Trust	48
Clos De Paradis Housing Trust	82
Christians Together in Jersey Housing Trust	123

A total of 37 applicants were housed by the Housing Trusts collectively during 2011. 13 of those allocations were made from the Trusts nomination rights to applicants represented on both the Trust and Housing Department waiting list. The remaining 24 were allocated directly from the Housing Department waiting list through the nomination process in place during that year:-

Housing Trust	Nominations Requested	Number Housed
Jersey Homes Trust	Le Coie x 4	4
Jersey Homes Trust	Berkshire Court x 2	1
Jersey Homes Trust	Clement Court x 1	1
Jersey Homes Trust	John Wesley Apartment x 2	1
Jersey Homes Trust	Maison St Nicolas x 1	1
Jersey Homes Trust	Parkside x 2	2
Jersey Homes Trust	St Pauls Gate x 1	1
Jersey Homes Trust	St Saviours Court x 1	1
Jersey Homes Trust	Victoria Place x 1	1
Jersey Homes Trust	Warren Court x 1	1
Les Vaux	Landscape Grove x 2	1
Les Vaux	St Saviours Crescent x 2	2
Les Vaux	Troy Court x 3	2
Les Vaux	Perquage Court x 5	4
Les Vaux	Vale Court x 2	0
Christians Together in Jersey	Le Benefice x1	1
Total	31	24

4 (b) Affordable Housing Gateway 6 month Report January –June 2012

In January 2012, the “Affordable Housing Gateway” was launched. This brought together the various waiting lists into one common list. All applicants have been fully re-assessed against a new Banding system and their level of housing need identified. Priority within the individual bands is in application date order.

Key Achievements

Common application form being used by customers;
Single waiting list created which includes those applicants previously only registered with a Housing Trust;
Housing Trust waiting lists have closed;
All social rented homes now allocated from the Gateway list;
Homes are being allocated to applicants in the greatest need, who have been waiting the longest.

The Gateway is now able to demonstrate a more realistic and accurate figure of those in housing need.

Rolling 12 month Totals (new applicants and transfers)

2011							2012
JUN	JUL	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN
828	843	836	833	872	885	885	1031	1220	1266	1298	1241	1234
							Gateway Implementation Commenced

The way in which this single waiting list is managed has also been improved. Applicants are assessed against one set of criteria which allows the application to be placed in an appropriate Priority Band. Only Bands 1, 2, 3 & 6 can be reasonably compared with figures generated from the Housing Departments previous waiting list.

BAND	CHARACTERISTICS OF APPLICANTS
1	Actually Homeless Under Eviction Notice (Court Order in Place) In Tied Accommodation where employment has ceased Unable to occupy or return to present home because of Urgent Medical Issue Existing tenant needing to Transfer for decant reason Existing tenant under occupying Have no rights to stay in current accommodation such as staying with friends or family Forced to live apart from family because present accommodation isn't suitable Any combination of the circumstances in band 2
2	Grave overcrowding (opposite gender children sharing a room or more than 2 children in one room) Poor housing standards Moderate Medical Cases (by Medical Officer of Health determination) Other Transfers
3	Only able to rent appropriate accommodation in Private Rented Sector with financial assistance
4	Able to rent appropriate accommodation in the Private Rented Sector without financial assistance
5	Presently Adequately Housed Little or no housing need but simply wish to change home Able to purchase but only with financial subsidy or assistance All those in receipt of a Jersey Homebuy qualifying certificate
6	Multi-Agency Supported Housing – Applicants who will require ongoing landlord support to live independently and are only likely to be housed by certain landlords who can offer that ‘extra care’.

The graph below shows a breakdown by bedroom size need for those new applicants registered with the Gateway as at the beginning of January 2012, in Bands 1, 2, 3 & 6.

N.B These figures do not include numbers of existing tenants of a social housing landlord requiring a transfer.

The graph below shows a breakdown by bedroom size need for those applicants registered with the Gateway as at the close of June 2012, in Bands 1, 2, 3 & 6.

N.B These figures do not include numbers of existing tenants of a social housing landlord requiring a transfer.

Figures demonstrate a continuing need for one and two bedroom units, where particularly the elderly and those younger, smaller families, are clearly struggling to source suitable, affordable accommodation in the private sector. A greater supply of these smaller units would also enable social housing providers to release a number of existing family homes currently being under occupied.

The Housing Trusts now use the Gateway to allocate their void properties, moving away from the previously used 50% nomination rights, so applicants are considered for a far greater pool of properties.

The statistics being generated by the Affordable Housing Gateway are published monthly on the www.gov.je website and sent to the Planning & Environment Department. The Minister for Planning & Environment controls supply and it is proposed that the data being recorded by the Gateway will be used to better inform decisions on land use.

The Housing Minister is currently proposing the establishment of a Strategic Housing Unit which, if approved by the States, will take on responsibility for the Affordable Housing Gateway. Demand being recorded by the Gateway will be used by the Strategic Housing Unit to independently champion new supply from the Planning & Environment Department and to develop new affordable housing policy.

States approval of P.40/2012 “Social Housing Schemes: Funding” established the funding mechanism to bring forward a number of schemes which will deliver some 121 new States owned homes for social rented use. The majority of these will be life-long homes for the over-55’s.