A new report by Lichfield District Council has warned that home ownership in the city is “out of reach to many”.
The local authority also confirmed that 2,910 households were on the social housing waiting list as the district struggles to cope with demand for affordable accomodation. Of that number, 343 were also classed as homeless or potentially homeless.
The report – which has been drawn up as part of the council’s homelessness strategy – will go before the Community, Housing and Environment Health (Overview & Scrutiny) Committee next week.
But it paints a bleak picture for first time buyers and those on low incomes.
“The affordability ratio, which is the ratio of house prices to incomes is high, meaning that home ownership is out of reach to many, particularly would be first time buyers,” the report explained.
“There is also a high incidence of larger detached dwellings and an undersupply of smaller dwellings which limits choice and housing options for residents.
“Despite a recent slight reduction, the average house price in the district is still out of the reach of many households, with them remaining the highest in Staffordshire for the past five years.”
The report also said that a limited private rented sector and less than 100 shared houses was making the situation worse.
“While there is a clear need for additional affordable housing within the district to meet identified needs, it is also important to focus on activity which will allow people to remain in their existing home for as long as possible, and therefore limit additional demand,” the report continued.
“This means that our homelessness prevention activities have a vital contribution to make by removing the need for people to move when, with help, they could remain in their existing home.”
The breakdown of relationships was behind the highest proportion of people contacting the council about housing needs during 2012-13 (709 people), while 172 enquiries related to mortgage problems.
Although 13 rough-sleepers contacted the local authority regarding housing, the report said the “small number” meant there was no “direct access hostel or specific supported accomodation” for this group of people.
