Andy Street outlines plan to treble social housing delivery

Mr Street said he would use this funding to “kickstart a new era in social housing” and “step in to fill the gap” after cash-strapped Birmingham Council was told it could no longer build social homes.

Currently, housing associations in the metropolitan WMCA area start around 500-700 new social homes a year. Mr Street said he would treble this to 1,700 per year by 2028.

The mayor also promised to use the funds on estate regeneration schemes such as Ladywood in central Birmingham, Spon End in Coventry, Brockmoor in Dudley, Druids Heath in Birmingham, and the area around Heath Town Baths in Wolverhampton.

WMCA would partner with housing associations to build new social housing, Mr Street said, on a recent visit to Nehemiah Housing in Great Barr, Birmingham.

Mr Street said: “I am determined to use the landmark deal we signed with the government to step in, take control and get a grip on the issue.

“When there is not enough quality social housing available to rent, people who need stable and secure housing find themselves stuck on waiting lists for years and often trapped in temporary or unsuitable accommodation.”

He continued: “This is about building quality social homes for rent for people who want to have a home to call their own – people like key workers, nurses and young families.

“By partnering with organisations like Nehamiah, we will be building real communities, too – that are nurtured by supportive housing associations.”

Mr Street, a Conservative, has been mayor of the West Midlands since 2017. He is running for re-election on 2 May against Richard Parker of the Labour Party and Green candidate Siobhan Harper-Nunes.

If re-elected, the mayor has also promised to maintain his minimum 20% affordable target for WMCA-funded developments and continue the region’s Housing First scheme to help those at risk of homelessness with additional funding from the government.

Mr Street has also promised to develop new funding and ownership models as part of the Affordable Homes Programme to help people to buy their homes.

Martin Levermore, vice-chair of Nehemiah Housing, said: “It’s incredibly important that we build enough social housing, and the devolution of funding for affordable housing could be a game-changer for the region.”