Housing developments for first-time buyers: allocation criteria

STATES OF JERSEY

HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS FOR FIRST-TIME BUYERS: ALLOCATION CRITERIA

Lodged au Greffe on 15th May 2019 by Deputy I. Gardiner of St. Helier

STATES GREFFE

2019  P.53

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

1. to agree that the Allocations and Affordability Criteria  set by the Minister for Children and Housing, which determines when a family is eligible to access the Affordable Housing Gateway register and to purchase a house, should not give priority to anyone based on their ability  to  demonstrate  close  links  with  the Parish  in  which  any affordable  housing  development  is  located;  and  that  all  families qualified to buy local property as a first-time buyers should be treated equally; and
2. to request the Minister for Children and Housing to prepare and publish the Allocations and Affordability Criteria used to determine persons as being eligible to access the Affordable Housing Gateway register and purchase a family home, by the end of 2019.

DEPUTY I. GARDINER OF ST. HELIER

REPORT

Please find references which I looked at when preparing this proposition:

1. Objective Assessment of Housing Need ("OAHN"):

Jersey is in housing crisis, characterised by an acute shortage of housing, particularly a shortage of social and affordable housing. *Please see the attached Appendix with reference to the Objective Assessment of Housing Need Report, which identifies the Island's housing requirements for the period 2021–2030, which will be used to shape the next Island Plan. This is a strategic document which demonstrates the Island-wide housing need.

2. Common Strategic Policy 2018–22, one of 5 Strategic Priorities is:

"We  will  reduce  income  inequality  and  improve  the  standard  of  living by improving  the  quality  and  affordability  of  housing,  improving  social inclusion, and by removing barriers to and at work."

We are working on the "One Island, one Community" approach.

3. Common Strategic Policy 2018–22, one of 8 Common Themes is: "We will nurture a diverse and inclusive society."

We are a diverse community made up of different nationalities, ages and genders. Sometimes these differences act as barriers to participating in society. As a Government we will work to remove barriers and promote inclusion and equal opportunity for all. This  includes  supporting  inclusive  communities,  encouraging  greater  diversity  in boardrooms and in the Assembly.

Based on our Common Strategic Policy, we need to ensure that every qualified resident will be given equal opportunity to access affordable housing schemes to all qualified Jersey.

4. Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002: Article 2(2)

"(2)  Accordingly it is the intention of this Law –

(a)  to ensure that when land is developed the development is in accordance with a development plan that provides for the orderly, comprehensive and sustainable development of land in a manner that best serves the interests of the community;".

[my emphasis] An Island Plan should care for the Island-wide community according to its needs.

Our Island is 9 miles by 5, we are one community, and we should work as a unified Island to achieve the goal of improving everyone's quality of life.

This proposition is to remove Parish privileges/ bias/ discrimination from affordable development allocation for first-time buyers. This is to allow and create a new way forward, and to enable our society to integrate, which is the opposite of the lack of integration if we allocate housing based upon Parish links.

This housing allocation is not to include sheltered accommodation, because we all know that for these developments, a connection to the Parish where the residents have lived all their lives is important.

There should be One Common Gateway to apply for affordable housing; there should be no "second category"; and any criteria which puts a barrier/condition based on place of birth and/or links to a specific Parish has no place in the 21st Century, when we are working to create an inclusive community where every family is valued equally.

It's simply not fair to give priority to the Parish links where there is a greater need for affordable housing in town or elsewhere in the Island.

Comments on paragraph (b)

It was very difficult to find a reference to the specific criteria which would be used to establish a link to the Parish during the debate about the St. Peter development.

We have a Housing Gateway, and it is important that we publish the Allocations and Affordability Criteria. This would provide a clear and transparent set of policies and procedures  by  which  people  could  understand  how  decisions  around  access  to affordable housing are made. It would include things such as financial criteria, assets and savings.

Financial and manpower implications

There are no additional resource implication for the Government of Jersey arising from adopting this proposition. Required changes can be made within the Department's budget.

APPENDIX

Selected findings from Objective Assessment of Housing Need Report, January 2019

The Objective Assessment of Housing Need Report provides an evidence-base of Jersey's  future  housing  requirements.  It  will  to  help  inform  decisions  about  the numbers and types of new homes that will be required over the next Island Plan period, 2021–2030.

The report takes into consideration a number of different population scenarios, anticipated demographic changes (e.g. ageing population), and the need for a sustainable  level  of  inward  migration  to  support  the  local  economy,  to determine Jersey's future housing requirements.

Analysis of trends in housebuilding data (actual completions 2011–2017 and projected completions 2018–2020) indicates that a total of 4,256 dwellings have been built or are planned to be built across Jersey. Overall, 30% of the new- builds are affordable: 4.8% purchases and 25.3 rented, makes 30%; and 70% is open-market housing (owner-occupied and rented).

This shows a need for 6,700 new homes by the end of 2030.

Analysis of future housing need over the period 2021–30 indicates a need to maintain the delivery of affordable rented housing, but shifts the emphasis of affordable housing delivery towards affordable purchase. This is evidenced in the ongoing need for first-time buyer housing within the Gateway statistics.

Assuming that 30% of dwellings built are affordable, this would result in a need for 2,030 affordable dwellings. Analysis presented in Table 3.7 indicates there is need for 920 social rented dwellings (840 one- or two-bedroom homes, and  70  with  three  or  more  bedrooms)  and the  balance  (1,100)  would  be affordable purchases for first-time buyers.

Demographic analysis recommends a focus on the delivery of two-, three- and four(+)-bedroom  owner-occupied  dwellings,  and  this  is  also  reflected  in Gateway  statistics.  Therefore,  dwellings  for  first-time  buyers  should  be predominantly two- and three-bedroom homes.

Under the modelling carried out under Steps 1 and 2, a minimum of 920 social rented and 1,100 affordable home ownership dwellings are projected to be needed over the Plan Period 2021 to 2030.

This  report  clearly  showing  affordable  housing  is  key  to  addressing  the accommodation gaps across the Island.