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Kris Hopkins speaks out on 'discriminatory' adverts
The housing minister has raised concerns about Orbit Housing’s so-called discriminatory adverts by saying housing policy based on race ‘undermines’ community relations and will ‘harm integration’.
Orbit Housing faced online backlash last week after listings appeared to give priority to people from Asian communities. The adverts said first priority for the flats at Apni Haweli, a supported housing scheme in Chatham, Kent, would be given to the Asian Community.
Mr Hopkins said: ‘People want to see fair play, and social housing should be allocated to local people based on need.
‘Whatever the original intent, I am concerned that any housing policy based on race will undermine good community relations and harm integration. This is a classic example of the gold-plating of equality rules doing more harm than good.’
This is a classic example of the gold-plating of equality rules doing more harm than good
Kris Hopkins, housing minister
A spokesperson from Orbit said: ‘The scheme was funded by the Housing Corporation with a view to meeting an identified need for the Asian over 55s population, a group under-represented in sheltered housing in the Medway area when it opened more than 10 years ago.
‘We let our homes through a choice based lettings scheme with Medway and Kent. No one has ever been declined a place here because of their ethnicity or background. Today five of the 16 residents (with two places currently empty) are “White British”.’
