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Introduction to our Empty Homes Strategy 2009 - 2013

The Government rightly identifies empty homes as a wasted asset.  Hastings has a major shortage of affordable homes and returning empty homes back into use helps to meet the town's housing needs.

Our strategy shows how we'll build on our long track record in dealing with empty homes.  It acknowledges the concerns of our community about empty and neglected homes together with related issues like vandalism, antisocial behaviour, the devaluing of surrounding homes and the image of the town.

Our strategy outlines how our Empty Homes Officer will keep working with partners to bring empty homes back into use and increase the supply of decent, affordable homes. It's divided into three parts:

• The first looks at why we need to bring empty homes back into use, the scale of the problem in the town and the progress made since 2000
• The second outlines our strategic priorities and objectives, how we'll achieve these and how we'll keep funding the strategy
• The third explains the links to other strategies and groups that can help us achieve our aims

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Results of the draft Empty Homes Strategy consultation

• 45 formal responses were received
• The consultation posed two questions:
  a) Do you think our priorities and objectives are the right ones?
  b) What do you think should be included in the strategy?
• The first question received a 100% positive response.
• Feedback for the second question mainly affirmed agreement with the strategy. A few respondents wanted to see more publicity on empty homes, which is built into the action plan.
• Other respondents questioned the need for building new properties when so many existing properties were empty.  This is considered beyond the scope of the empty homes strategy but to an extent will be picked up within the Local Development Framework.
• Some respondents felt that the proposals for action should be scaled up in light of the number of empty homes.  This will need to be kept under review but the proposed strategy reflects the capital resources that are available at present through the Regional Housing Board allocation.  Additional Regional Housing Board funding for 2009/10 has been allocated and this does provide an opportunity for increased empty homes funding in the short term.
• As a result of the consultation exercise and the largely positive response received, only a few minor amendments have been made to the strategy to make information more clear and understandable, such as the table on page 10 of the strategy, relating to numbers of empties by ward and length of time empty and how Empty dwelling Management Orders are processed.

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Download the Hastings Empty Homes Strategy and Action Plan:

• Empty Homes Strategy 2009-2013 (.pdf 246KB)
• Empty Homes Strategy Action Plan 2009-2013 (.pdf 73KB)

Please note: These documents may not be accessible for all users.  If you would like to receive the documents in an accessible format please contact our Empty Homes Officer.

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