HOUSE CALL: I’ll tell you what’s facing housing comms

There is something still glorious about asking Twitter a question and then watching like pigeons returning to the coop as answers return.

The question was the challenges that face housing communications.

Twitter, what are the three biggest issues facing the social housing sector today? Asking for a friend. Thanks.

— Dan Slee (@danslee) August 31, 2016

And like a flock of pigeons they gathered and returned. Not three but 17 issues.

I list them here a) to provide a checklist for those inside the sector and b) for those dealing with the sector.

It’s an impressive list, but the speed of which the Twitter community returned them shows that there are still people out there bothered and keen to help.

issues that face housing communications

1. Alack of money in the sector.
2. A lack of houses in the sector.
3. Welfare reform making it harder for social landlords to secure the rent due.
4. Right-to-buy makes the pool of social housing smaller.
5. A lack of grant to build new social houses.
6. The attitude of public, press and politicians to tenants in shared accomodation.
7. A lack of tenant voice in the national housing debate.
8. Risk of poorer tenants to be sidelined in a race for higher paying tenants.
9. A decline in affordable rents for tenants.
10. No long term strategy.
11. Less local government money for supported housing where vulnerable people can live and be independent.
12. Complacent housing authorities.
13. Distraction caused by mergers or the chance of rumours.
14. The sector doesn’t tell it’s story well and gums things up with jargon.
15. More homelessness is likely to read to a bigger bill for temporary housing.
16. Reducing social rents paid to councils will hit local government in the pocket.
17. The lack of land in rural areas to build new social houses.

So, how does that all sound for you?

Thanks to Manpreet Kaur, Faye Greaves, National Tenant Scrutiny Panel, Helen Gore, Richard Sage, Tom Murtha, Greg Burns, Kelly Quigley-Hicks.