Social housing proposals lodged

08 December 2017

The Housing Minister, Deputy Anne Pryke, has today (7 December 2017) lodged an ‘in principle’ report and proposition on proposals to regulate social housing providers in Jersey.

In the proposition, which will be debated by the States Assembly in January, the Minister is proposing:

• the introduction of performance standards for social housing providers in relation to service delivery, covering housing and housing-related services such as  allocations, rent levels, the quality and maintenance of homes, communication and engagement, and support for people to live safely and independently in their homes
• the introduction of performance standards for finance and governance arrangements to ensure that social housing providers continue to be well-managed and use their resources effectively
  methods to assess, monitor and report performance against these standards
• the appointment of an arm’s length regulator to oversee regulation

Deputy Pryke said “A growing sector requires a clear and transparent regulatory environment to build confidence in the professionalism and stability of social housing providers – this is important for tenants, the public and investors.

“The Island’s social housing providers have a strong reputation for the good-quality homes and security of tenure they provide to tenants, including support for some of the most vulnerable people in the community. The proposals in this proposition aim to protect and promote the immense benefits that social housing brings to these tenants and the Island as a whole.”

The proposals for regulation would also include the Housing Gateway which, as the access point into social housing, would be required under law to publish information about the criteria used to determine who is eligible to access social housing. Before doing so, the Minister is planning to commission an independent review of access to social housing in Jersey, which will examine issues such as hidden homeliness and how vulnerable people in Jersey are supported to access suitable housing.

Deputy Pryke added “Because demand for social housing is greater than current supply, the Housing Gateway has to make difficult decisions about who can access social housing, so it is important that we ensure this process is fair and that people understand how the decisions are made.”