Final evaluation Houses into Homes (Welsh Empty Property Initiative)
November 2, 2015
From the Welsh Government press release:
The Welsh Government has today announced that it has exceeded its target for bringing empty properties back into use.
A total of 7,560 vacant private homes have been brought back into use by direct action from councils, exceeding a target of 5,000 set for 2017, according to official data.
The figures have been boosted by the Welsh Government’s Houses into Homes scheme, which provides funding to councils to enable them to distribute recyclable, interest-free loans to landlords for the renovation of homes that have been empty for more than six months.
According to an evaluation of the scheme by Sheffield Hallam University for the Welsh Government published today, an estimated 2,655 extra homes have been brought back into use as a result of the Houses into Homes initiative since its launch in 2012.
Under the scheme, £20m has been provided to councils. After work is complete landlords have to repay the loans within two or three years depending on whether the homes are sold or rented out.
Welsh housing minister Lesley Griffiths described the number of homes created as a “wonderful achievement”.
“Vacant properties falling into disrepair are a blight on our communities which not only spoil the appearance of our towns and cities, but are also associated with increased incidences of vandalism and anti-social behaviour,” she said.
Dyfed Edwards, spokesperson for housing at the Welsh Local Government Association, said: “The dramatic increase in the number of additional homes being provided in this way is a real success story.”
The report by the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University also made a number of recommendations to improve the Houses into Homes scheme.
