Action for Housing welcomes 20 Rent and Repair properties but seeks more transparency

Action for Housing has welcomed the addition of 20 Government properties under the Rent and Repair Scheme but said the Gibraltar Government should publish detailed results from the previous phase.

The group said bringing more homes into the Government rental market would provide opportunities for families in need and could also help regenerate areas where properties had fallen into disrepair.

It said some of the properties were understood to require substantial investment of money, time and effort from successful applicants before they could be made habitable.

But Action for Housing said the additional 20 properties remained small in comparison with the more than 800 applicants it said were still waiting for Government accommodation.

The group said the Rent and Repair Scheme could not replace the need for additional new rental housing promised by the Government.

It called for information on the outcome of the previous phase, including how many properties had been completed and occupied, whether works were finished on time and properly inspected, how many applicants benefited and how many existing Government properties were released as a result.

Action for Housing said these were questions of transparency and accountability and argued that the success of housing initiatives should be measured by their results.

“Announcing initiatives is one thing; demonstrating that they deliver is another,” said a statement from the group.

It added that people waiting for homes needed practical solutions rather than party political arguments.

The group said it welcomed the additional 20 properties but would continue calling for greater transparency, accountability and a long-term housing strategy.