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If Jersey wants to address its homes crisis, it needs a new housing tsar to join up the "fractured" provision and a rethink on green zone building, according to the Chair of a housing trust of 25 years.
Michael Van Neste set up the Jersey Housing Trust – the island's largest independent housing association - in 1995 to provide social rented homes for islanders.
The trust now owns and manages 835 homes spread over 24 estates.
Despite the role that the several local housing trusts play in the provision of housing, they were left out of Deputy Russell Labey’s ‘Creating Better Homes' report, which was described as a ‘housing action plan’.
Pictured: The Housing Minister, Deputy Russell Labey.
The Housing Minister suggested, among other things, policies to encourage ‘right-sizing’, as well as tighter controls on foreign 'buy-to-let' investors and a fair rents policy.
“Regrettably, the Action Plan will fail to mention any role for the Housing Trusts,” Mr Van Neste wrote in a letter to the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel.
“Their contribution to the supply of affordable housing in the past has not been insignificant. The Jersey Homes Trust has the track record, the experience, the ambition and the available finance to make a further useful contribution.”
He went on to say that the trusts should not be viewed as “competitors” to Andium Homes, but rather as a “good and healthy co-provider, offering choice and alternatives”, and should be appreciated and supported.
“Government-owned sites suitable for housing development must be released to social housing providers,” he said. “Clear guidance must be given to Property Services that their stewardship of all such sites implies a priority to achieve affordable housing provision before any secondary consideration of achieving sale proceeds. As matters stand, Property Services have no such clarity of purpose.”
Pictured: Mr Van Neste believes a "figurehead" is needed within the Government to drive housing policies.
Mr Van Neste, who also chairs the Cranham Group, a local property investment and development group, welcomed the Minister’s calls for “improved strategic collaboration between relevant Ministries”. He however noted that over the last 25 years such collaborations have come and gone.
Speaking to Express, he said the current housing provision is too “fractured” for any “joined-up” policy to be created. He added that, under the current Government system of ministerial departments, it is harder to get anything done than it was when there were committees.
“A lot of people have some responsibility, there’s housing, environment, the Planning Minister, the Island Plan, the Strategic Housing Unit, the Housing Policy Development Board, the Housing Minister,” he said.
“No one is driving the policy, we need one department who drives the whole policy for housing provision.
“It is always easier to not do something or to delay something and if you have a fragmented system that is the inevitable outcome.”
Pictured: Mr Van Neste says development can be done in the countryside without spoiling it.
Mr Van Neste said there has always been friction between the planners and housing, with their respective assessments of need coming up with different figures. He suggested this is partly due to planners’ reluctance to rezone green land, with which he says he sympathises.
But he believes that development can be done in the green zone without “spoiling the countryside”, by redeveloping derelict buildings or hotels that are no longer in use for example.
Constables, Mr Van Neste says, can make an “important contribution” as they have a good knowledge of what’s needed in their Parish.
“They need to make PLM for their own parishioners,” Mr Van Neste said. “Providing accommodation for senior parishioners means they can retain their links to the parish while freeing up room for younger people.”
Ultimately, and even though housing trusts like JHT want to do more, they cannot do so without the support of the Government or the presence of a “joined-up” policy. could probably be disheartened.
“It’s a long-term process you cannot suddenly make a big impact on the housing shortage,” Mr Van Neste said.
“In the past, we have had interruptions of a few years in the supply of new homes, it should be a continuous process. It takes coordination and planning and that’s why you need one figurehead or policy maker with one focus to bring all those interests together.
“Housing should be a priority as important as education and health because the lack of housing is basically the only cause of poverty in the island.”
Mr Van Neste was the subject of this week's Bailiwick Podcast, discussing the role of housing trusts, what they need to succeed and whether the island is experiencing a housing crisis or not...
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