By Tim Dickens
A London-wide campaign has been launched calling on the mayor to step in and keep the capital’s rents affordable.
Homes for London, proposed by the charity Shelter, calls for a Transport for London-style body to combat the current housing crisis which is fuelled by lack of affordable homes.
Their campaign includes a series of videos depicting householders struggling with spiralling rent and property prices.
A spokeswoman for Shelter said: “The next Mayor is going to have new powers over housing and we want them to bring the web of budgets to provide a real strategic vision for London’s housing.” The charity says the issue is affecting everyone from single Londoners and young families to older parents. It wants the new Mayor of London elected on 3 May to back the scheme and support tenants and homeowners.
Lambeth resident Lilly and her husband own a one-bedroom flat in Streatham. When they discovered they were expecting a baby they soon realised they couldn’t afford anywhere large enough for a family, and were forced to rent a bigger home nearby instead.
Lilly told ITV news last week: “I guess it was emotional and difficult at first coming to terms with having to rent while starting a new family.
“I always thought we would buy and we’d have a secure home.”
The crisis is particularly noticeable in Brixton, where residents have raised concerns that a splurge of new developments fail to make enough provision for affordable and social housing, focusing instead on profitable, high-end luxury apartments.
Sponsored by Shelter
