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WQ.302/2019
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR CHILDREN AND HOUSING BY DEPUTY M.R. HIGGINS OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 2nd JULY 2019
Question
In light of the publication of the Review of access to social housing in Jersey', will the Minister state his policy position regarding the 10-year qualifying rule for housing and advise whether he has considered any alternatives to that provision and, if so, what the costs and implications of any such alternatives are?
Answer
The Review of Access to Social Housing' examined one specific area of Jersey's housing market (the social rented sector) and recommended measures by which access to social housing could be improved. The issue of non-qualified accommodation was outside the scope of the review, but it did, nevertheless, identify it as one of the challenges in Jersey's housing market.
High demand for housing and limited housing supply have led to substantial rises in the costs of renting a home in Jersey, particularly for households who live in non-qualified housing. In January 2019, I published the Objective Assessment of Housing Need Report'. The report indicates that the island requires as many as 1,100[1] non-qualified units of accommodation by 2030 if it is to meet anticipated future housing needs (page 19).
https://www.gov.je/Government/Pages/StatesReports.aspx?ReportID=4193
The Housing Policy Development Board is undertaking a comprehensive review of the housing market in Jersey, and will propose policy measures to improve access to, and the affordability, of housing. The Policy Development Board has been clear that the non-qualified sector must be examined as part of this work. Any consideration of Jersey's housing market cannot be undertaken without the main complexity within it – a two-tier housing system for qualified and non-qualified households – being a central area of investigation.
The housing requirements set out in the Objective Assessment of Housing Need will inform the work of the Housing Policy Development Board as it develops solutions to Jersey's housing challenges, and how it provides suitable and affordable accommodation in the non-qualified sector. The Board will report with its recommendations by spring 2020, at which point Ministers will consider what measures might be required around the provision of non-qualified housing.
The issue of the non-qualified housing sector is an extremely complex issue, and linked with economic and population policy. Any changes must, therefore, be thoroughly investigated in order to fully understand the implications of making any changes.
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