Action on Empty Homes, the national campaigning organisation for bringing empty homes back into use, have announced the dates for the annual National Empty Homes Week, 2023.
Taking place from 27th February through to 5th March, Empty Homes Week offers participating councils an opportunity to demonstrate the action they are taking to bring wasted empty homes back into use, promote their services and support to empty home owners, and to share the success stories locally of the preceding year’s efforts.
Empty Homes Week is a fantastic opportunity to publicise information and to offer local residents advice on how to report any empty homes causing concern in their local areas.
During Empty Homes Week 2022, Action on Empty Homes...
highlighted hundreds of successful local initiatives being promoted by councils around the country.
encouraged hundreds of success stories to be shared across local media and through local authorities’ own communication channels, from newsletters and websites to social media.
argued for additional support for local authorities in bringing empty homes into use, including streamlined EDMO powers and a balanced package of enforcement and incentives through a new National Empty Homes Programme with funding devolved to local government
inspired calls for investment by organisations including the Local Government Association and by ARLA Propertymark, the national organisation representing estate agencies and lettings agents, who wrote to the Secretary of State, Michael Gove MP to support the call for targeted investment to bring empty homes back to use.
Now, new powers are coming…….
Later in 2022, the Government introduced the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill in parliament which will bring new powers for councils to introduce empty homes council tax premium after 1 year rather than two, something Action on Empty Homes has long called and campaigned for.
For the first time, the Bill will also offer similar powers to double council tax on second homes, or furnished empties, where these are not being let. This is a significant recognition of these homes being classed as vacant, and the wider social issues these often bring to towns, villages and coastal regions where housing is in short supply.
National Empty Homes Week 2023, Action on Empty Homes has 3 key themes:
Firstly, they would like to hear about local work and initiatives and are encouraging councils to use the Empty Homes Week 2023 logo on their publicity communications. Please feel free to send Action on Empty Homes stories, images and social media postings so that they can publicise these on their website and social media channels. In past years this has ranged from ‘before and after’ success stories and images, to information videos on social media, local interviews and case studies.
Secondly, Action on Empty Homes want Empty Homes Week to be an opportunity to explore the value of retrofitting as we renovate in order to work towards NetZero targets. Action on Empty Homes is calling for Government funding to support local initiatives to retrofit empty homes, develop green skills and build local supply infrastructure. You can lend your support by signing up to Action on Empty Homes’ Retrofit Call to Action: Here
Thirdly, Action on Empty Homes want to promote the opportunity offered by community-based approaches to bringing empty homes into use - through partnerships between local authorities and communities working together to deliver affordable housing for local people. During 2022 Action on Empty Homes continued work to promote their Community Action on Empty Homes Toolkit at events around the country to support local authorities and communities, and to highlight the opportunity for new conversations and new ways of thinking, building creative partnerships to deliver lasting change.
You can contact Action on Empty Homes to discuss your plans for Empty Homes Week 2023, by contacting the team on info@actiononemptyhomes.org