The Housing and Homelessness Policy and Accountability Committee met to discuss and provide feedback on the draft Housing Strategy 2026-2031. The committee reviewed the strategy's five key priorities, which aim to prevent homelessness, deliver affordable and accessible homes, ensure well-maintained and safe homes, create better neighbourhoods, and provide compassionate services.

Housing Strategy 2026-2031 Briefing

The committee received a briefing on the draft Hammersmith and Fulham Housing Strategy 2026-2031, presented by Adele Cooper, Assistant Director for Housing Improvement and Governance. This strategy outlines the council's vision and priorities for housing over the next five years, building on recent successes, including the highest possible C1 rating from the Regulator of Social Housing. The strategy aims to address key challenges such as affordability, rising homelessness, and the need for family-sized homes, while supporting the council's commitment to a stronger, safer, and kinder borough.

The strategy has been shaped by extensive resident consultation, with 643 residents participating. Key resident priorities identified include the need for affordable homes, shorter social housing waiting lists, better home conditions with assured quality and safety, more family-sized and accessible homes, and improved responsiveness from housing services.

The five strategic priorities of the refreshed strategy are:

1. Preventing Homelessness: Strengthening early intervention, advice, and tenancy support.
2. Delivering Genuinely Affordable, Accessible Homes: Increasing supply, making better use of stock, and prioritising family-sized and adaptable homes.
3. Well-Maintained, Safe, Warm, Quality Homes: Improving repairs, safety, and energy efficiency, and working more closely with residents.
4. Safe, Clean, Green Neighbourhoods: Strengthening estate management, safety, and communal areas, and expanding cross-service joint working.
5. Compassionate and Responsive Services: Improving resident access, communication, complaints handling, and accountability.

Councillor Adronie Alford, Shadow Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, expressed support for the strategy's ambitions but raised concerns about interdepartmental silos and the need for clearer, more realistic expectations for residents in temporary accommodation. Councillor Frances Umeh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, acknowledged these points and highlighted the council's ongoing efforts to improve service delivery and foster a collaborative one-team culture.

Councillor Anna Magryta-Urban congratulated the team on the strategy and noted the importance of ensuring diverse representation in resident forums. She also shared her positive experience with the affordable ownership scheme, suggesting it as a way to prevent homelessness by educating people about their options. Councillor Patsume, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, agreed that more work could be done to advertise affordable home ownership pathways.

The committee also discussed the ambitious target of achieving a certain Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating by 2030, with officers explaining the ongoing work and commitment to this goal, including successful retrofit projects.

The committee welcomed the strategy's ambitions and aspirations, acknowledging the strong foundation built by the housing service in recent years. They expressed their commitment to regular updates on progress and milestones. The committee noted the dates of future meetings: 17 November 2026, 1 February 2027, and 21 April 2027.