Islington Council has agreed on a measure to purchase 310 ex-Right-to-Buy properties.
Last month, Islington Council members unanimously voted in favour of the borough to purchase 310 ex-council homes.
A report from the Islington Council outlines the purpose of this buyback measure, saying, “310 Ex Right to Buy properties for people who are homeless from Afghanistan and Ukraine as part of the council’s humanitarian housing response and for homeless households to reduce local housing pressures beyond those on Afghan resettlement schemes.”
With the current cost of living crisis and financial fallout of Brexit, the need for more temporary accommodation in London is rising.
The council says, “During the last 12 months, Islington Council has witnessed an increase in homeless households living in temporary accommodation from 913 homeless households to 1,112.”
“This is the highest level of households living in temporary accommodation for a considerable period.”
With this purchase, Islington became the largest council buyback program in the country after its initial repurchasing of 100 ex-Right-to-Buy properties in July of this year.
Councillor Una O’Halloran, who championed this measure, explained, “The more we buy back, the better we can put people in secure temporary accommodation in our borough.”
With the passing of this item, critics of the original Right to Buy scheme are rejoicing.
Councillor Ernestas Jegorovas-Armstrong said, “Right to Buy is a terrible concept that should have ended a generation ago.”
The Right to Buy scheme aimed to help eligible council tenants and some housing association tenants in England buy their homes with a considerable discount.
The considerable discount helps individuals buy property who otherwise would not have the means to afford it.
The repurchased council properties will be temporary accommodations for those in need and are restricted from being let or purchased from the public.