By Jayden Whitworth
Leicester City Council has declared a housing crisis, with thousands of families in the city desperate for homes.
The central government is being badgered to ease the pressure on the housing crisis, as there is a growing demand for decent and affordable housing.
Many factors are contributing to the housing problems, including a growing population, the cost-of-living crisis, and the loss of thousands of council homes under the government’s Right to Buy scheme.
Leicester assistant city mayor for housing, Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, said: “Central government have failed to deliver their social housing build target for over 50 years.
“There has not been a proper programme of social house building since the end of the second world war.
“Government funding mechanisms and planning legislation make it difficult for local authorities to mitigate against the loss of housing stock through the Government’s Right to Buy scheme, leaving us with significantly reduced council house stock levels.”
Since its arrival in the 1980s, the Right to Buy scheme has led to the loss of 20,000 council homes in the city. The council now wants to see the scheme abolished.
The council is also calling for £12.8 billion of funding to help build 150,000 social rental homes a year.
Patrick Callaghan, student at the University of Leicester, said: “I don’t think I will be able to afford my own home for years.
“So, I don’t really know what my plan after uni is, probably have to go and live with my parents for a few more years.”
In Leicester, the council is also looking to introduce its own steps to help deal with the housing crisis, this includes more sustainable housing development and incentives for council tenants to downsize and free up homes for families.
The council is also looking at utilising empty homes and encouraging more housing development on brownfield sites.
The council is now drawing up its action plan to help combat this housing crisis.
