Options for dealing with squatting - response to consultation and proposals
November 2, 2011
As well as summarising the responses to the consultation exercise and the government's views and proposals, the consultation also flags up the government's commitment to tackling empty homes, at the end of the document. It states:
The Government wants to increase the number of empty homes that are brought back into use as a sustainable way of increasing the overall supply of housing, and to reduce the perception of neglect that can blight neighbourhoods. Reducing the number of empty homes will also help to reduce incidence of squatting. That is why we have announced £100m capital funding within the Affordable Homes programme to tackle problematic empty homes – that is properties that are likely to remain empty without extra direct financial assistance from government. This programme will deliver at least 3,300 affordable homes by March 2015, as well as engaging local communities in dealing with empty homes in their area.
Whilst speculating that reducing the number of empty homes will reduce the incidence of squatting (this is actually a non sequitur) the government refrains from drawing the much more solid conclusion that squatting reduces the number of empty homes.
