Kent and Medway Housing Strategy 2020 2025 Sharon

Kent and Medway Housing Strategy 2020 - 2025 Sharon Williams, Chair of Kent Housing Group

Kent Housing Group A pro-active housing forum, with a broad church of members in Kent and Medway, working to: Be the ‘voice of housing in Kent’ To share and learn through good practice Lobby and influence national and local legislative or policy decisions Provide policy, project management and training resources Share and deliver the ambition to deliver high quality, affordable homes across all tenures in Kent Representation from all Kent Local Authorities, Medway Council, KCC, Registered Providers, Homes England, LGA, NHF, Kent Developers & Kent Planners, SELEP and the National Landlords Association We are unique and well respected by our peers in central Government and other regions

What have we achieved? ü ü ü ü 2 Editions of the K&M Housing Strategy Affordable Rural Housing Protocol Viability Protocol Community Led Planning Guide The Planning Protocol Housing for the Third Age Accessibility Protocol Employment Support Protocol Creating Sustainable Communities in Kent & Medway Tenancy Strategy KHG Eviction Protocol Kent Accommodation Strategy Responses to Select Committee Inquires Responses to Government Consultations Annual Seminars Workshop and Training Events

Why did we need another KMHS? The opportunity to bring together County, Unitary, Boroughs and Districts priorities, in a document that will reflect our local ambitions and how we meet the challenges facing the housing sector across Kent and Medway. To build on existing relationships & partnerships across the sectors, using the strategy: ü To explore and develop a new approach to communicating and securing funding with Government Departments ü To respond positively to Government’s Housing Agenda and meet housing need. ü To explore innovation in development to ensure delivery of affordable homes at the required scale and pace. ü To drive the integration agenda, working with Health & Social Care to help vulnerable residents of Kent & Medway sustain independent living in the most appropriate setting.

KMHS Themes Health and Wellbeing Working Together for Safer Homes Infrastructure First Accelerating Housing Delivery Affordability

Health and Wellbeing Raise the profile and awareness about the importance of integration between Housing, Health and Social Care Influence design and development of new housing to meet the changing and complex needs of our most vulnerable members of the communities Support the ambition of the Kent and Medway STP Support and work to deliver the Kent Public Health Priorities to reduce health inequalities Promote the Fuel Poverty and Kent Environment Strategy across the KHG membership Explore innovation in practice to ensure the maximum outputs are delivered from funding into the county, e. g. the Better Care Fund Monitor and manage the impact of homelessness and the use of temporary accommodation

Working Together for Safer Homes Ensure that residents feel safe and secure within their homes Respond with effect to emerging legislative change around compliance & fire safety Create shared capacity to give the residents of Kent & Medway a voice to challenge and influence their access to safe & secure housing Reduce the stigma & negative perceptions associated with social housing Learn and share good practice and experiences

Infrastructure and Investment Support the ambition and framework of the Kent and Medway GIF, to highlight the role and importance of housing as key infrastructure Work at local level to explore and support the opportunity of a ‘deal’ with Government, to influence the investment into infrastructure across the county Understand manage the impact of permitted development from commercial to residential use Review and feed into Government legislation and policy change and the influence on how infrastructure is funded moving forward

Accelerating Housing Delivery Working across Housing Planning and Development colleagues and expertise to review the planning and viability protocol documents Explore the opportunities provided by the removal of the HRA Debt Cap and use of RTB receipts Research and explore modern methods of construction Review existing procurement practices and frameworks Monitor funding opportunities and allocations across Kent and Medway from Government departments/agencies Learn and share through peer support but within the county and externally

Affordability Working across partners to review the KHG Affordability Protocol To ensure that new housing is of the right type, affordable and meeting local housing need. Supporting residents to sustain tenancies, through financial inclusion pathways Explore investment opportunities in to the PRS, working with landlords to ensure access to good quality affordable and secure accommodation Monitor and review the impact of Government reforms, including the introduction of Universal Credit and the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 Support the KCC Accommodation Strategy, including provision of accommodation for those with physical disabilities Gain a wider understanding about how new affordable housing supply can be provided across the varied housing markets of Kent and Medway

Response, Recovery & What Next? How can we use the strategy to respond to current challenges? What Who do we think are the top five immediate challenges? will take forward the actions identified? Have you got good practice or expertise to share? Awareness & planning for challenge on the horizon – the impact of the Housing White Paper, compliance & safety

Thank you & Questions Sharon Williams, Chair of Kent Housing Group