Conservatives' London mayoral candidate, Zac Goldsmith, has promised that he will recommend changes to the government's housing bill to better cater the increasing crisis in affordable housing. His proposal will "require local authorities to build two affordable homes for every one they sell off in London."
According to theguardian.com, Goldsmith said "I stood on a manifesto, like all of us on these benches, which committed us to help introduce this bill but there is no doubt, as the frontbench accepts, I believe, that this bill does need amending. London council homes are far more valuable than elsewhere and without a change we are going to see a disproportionate flow of resources out of London. So I want to amend this bill to guarantee it works for Londoners."
The new housing bill will need to sell the number three in their most valuable council home to finance the additional right to buy to housing association homes. The other part of the profit will be allotted to "one- for- one replacement of affordable housing in the area."
Goldsmith also said "We should extend the right to buy but at the same time we must gain significant number of low-cost homes and we know that is possible."
In a report by bbc.com, Mr. Goldsmith's proposal will bring an increase in the number of affordable homes in London. The proposal comes in the right time as Sadiq Khan said that the current right- to- buy regulations allow seven houses to be sold for every new one unit started which, in the long run, will cause greater shortage in affordable housing units.
Due to this scenario, Shadow housing minister John Healey has criticized the Starter Homes scheme of the government allowing first- time buyers to get a 20 percent discount if they are going to purchase homes in London worth up to £450,000 but Mr. Healey said that it still unaffordable.
If MR. Goldsmith's proposal gained momentum and got approved, city dwellers might have another shot of getting her hands on in an affordable housing unit which comes rarely in the area.
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