Mayor Woodley: How I'm tackling the housing crisis head-on

In Hackney we stand ready to help over 30,000 private renter households after new protections came into force last month.

The changes our government has brought in with the new Renters Rights Act, overcome repeated broken promises from the previous government. From finally bringing in a ban on ‘no-fault’ evictions to an end to bidding wars, these changes follow years of campaigning in Hackney, which I’ve been proud to lead alongside deputy cabinet member and Assembly Member Sem Moema. 

We’ll use every tool we have to enforce against landlords who don’t play by these new rules, and we have just completed a consultation on plans to expand our own landlord licensing powers. 

We must also hold ourselves to these same standards. The introduction of Awaab’s Law –  which means social landlords like Hackney Council have to address emergency hazards in 24 hours and major damp and mould in 10 working days – is incredibly important to uphold for the health and wellbeing of social tenants locally and across the country.

In Hackney, our tenants tell us our repairs service has been getting better – but we know there is so much more to do and some of the major changes we need to make will take time. We have a plan to ensure we not only meet these new requirements, but also provide a good home for every council tenant in the borough.

Last month a new terrace of nine homes along Millfields Road in Clapton was the first of a fresh wave of more than 300 new Council homes to get the go ahead. They’ll replace a row of underused garages on the Nye Bevan Estate, with all the homes for Council social rent and prioritised to local residents in the greatest need of a new home.

That means we now have a running total of 956 additional Council homes, either being built or bought back, for social rent. In a borough short on land but with rising waiting lists, rent levels and property prices, it’s vital that as many new homes as possible are made available for those who need it most – at a cost they can afford.

That’s why I’ll always make sure – whenever we build – we prioritise the genuinely affordable homes that are so desperately needed. 

Caroline Woodley
Mayor of Hackney