need to build about 230,000 homes a year, but we're barely achieving half that rate – and end the sale of council houses fostered by the Tory Government in 1980 with the introduction of the national ‘Right to Buy’ scheme.
compulsory requisitioning of long-term empty properties a significant council house-building programme to build homes for all classes, end homelessness, cut housing waiting lists and eliminate unfit private sector housing
In 1975 more than 80% of public expenditure on housing went on supply-side the re-introduction of council direct capital funding (building homes and labour departments which can deliver their upkeep), with rent support and maintenance and refurbishment of rebates low. By 2000, this was reversed existing council homes economically with 85% of spending going on housand quickly ing benefit. What was the Government’s response? To further stoke demand, with bringing housing association homes state-backed mortgage subsidies, which back under the democratic control of will intensify the problem of unaffordabillocal authorities ity, by inflating prices, rather than tackling giving councils the right to compulsoits cause. rily purchase and refurbish long-term empty or substandard properties for The Communist Party has developed a social use. comprehensive housing policy designed to offer a genuinely progressive alternaThese policies could easily be paid for by tive. We stand for: a two per cent wealth tax on the richest an end to evictions from council, so10 per cent of households who own an cial landlord or private rented housing estimated 44 per cent of Britain’s wealth (revenue £90 billion a year); a 10 per the re-introduction of rent controls in cent ‘Robin Hood’ tax on City transacthe private sector tions (revenue £112 billion a year); and ending tax dodging by the super-rich security of tenure for all tenants and big business (revenue c.£70 billion a axing the bedroom tax year). ‘no interest’ loans to those threatened with housing repossession reversing the cuts in Housing Benefit an end to council house sales and housing stock transfers to the private sector registration of private landlords to enforce minimum standards 10
What Can You Do Locally? We are not helpless! Collective action can make a huge difference. As supporters of council housing and anti-bedroom tax campaigners are already demonstrating around the country, there are a number of things we can do locally to fight for our rights. These include: putting pressure on Croydon Borough Council not to implement Government Decent homes for all