This week we’re kickstarting our record £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, supporting more than 70,000 new homes, with nearly two-thirds for genuinely affordable social rent – the biggest council housebuilding comeback in decades.
This means £10 billion for councils, housing associations & other partners, with £529 million for Greater Manchester to deliver around 4,400 new homes for our city-region.
Here in Oldham, 605 children are currently living in temporary accommodation. This investment will help families stuck in temporary accommodation or on housing waiting lists get into safe, secure homes.
I’ve had the privilege of seeing the good work of organisations such as First Choice Homes and Vistry Group in Oldham and I know they and other providers are ready and willing to do even more. Likewise Oldham Council has been working hard to free up brownfield sites and many schemes will see redundant land brought back into use alongside good transport links.
I’ll keep fighting for more decent family homes for local people, while pushing back against the over-concentration of HMOs in our borough. They are too often fuelling the housing crisis by removing family homes from the market and normalising shoe box living.
It’s time we got on and fixed the housing crisis so that local people finally have the security of a decent affordable home.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 