A FIVE YEAR HOUSING PLAN [To the Editor of the
SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The New Year of 1931 marks a definite stage in the history of municipal housing in this country. For under the last Housing. Act, Local Authorities had to submit before the end of 1930 their programme for the next five years.
This will be a quinquennial statement, obligatory upon all Local Authorities of areas with a population exceeding 20,000. It has to include not only proposals for the provision of new -houses, but also of rehousing accommodation to provide for persons displaced from slum areas.
As the Housing Act of 1930 only received Royal Assent in the late sununer, most authorities have found it extremely difficult to prepare a definite programme. Even the London County Council, which has already provided houses since the War sufficient to rehouse nearly the whole of the population of the city of Cardiff, have found it out of the question to submit any programme except one admittedly provisional. In any. case, however, the London County Council hopes to build in the next five years 34,670 dwellings, at a capital expenditure of £21,825,000.
Of exceptional importance, however, to all those who are connected with the 250 voluntary housing societies, which have been established in all parts of the country, is the recog- nition given by London's principal housing authority to voluntary work. The programme, which has been supplied to Mr.. Arthur Greenwood, the Minister of Health, points out that past experience affords some guide as to the probable extent of the activities of public utility societies, housing trusts and companies not trading for profit. These have already provided more than 8,000 houses and tenements in the County of London. ,
The statement then pays the following tribute to the work of these associations : " Many of these bodies have become firmly established and command the support of large numbers of people. Apart from the erection of new houses and tene- ments, some of these societies perform a very valuable service in the purchase and reconditioning of existing houses and by the abatement of overcrowding therein."
This encouragement is especially timely. Many of these societies are now feeling acutely the country's financial depres- sion, and are experiencing considerable difficulty in obtaining additional capital. Some of them have had to submit to a good deal of outside criticism, as was shown by the unfortunate episodes which occurred at a recent meeting of the Bethnal Green Housing Association, addressed by Mr. George Lansbury and the Bishop of Stepney.
The Housing Committee of the London County Council are publicly showing their belief in the work of these societies, and it is expected that their words of encouragement will in the near future be translated into action. Already the Kensington Borough Council, with the agreement of the L.C.C., is setting an example of co-operation with a voluntary body in providing for the needs of the poorest classes of the
conununity.—I am, Sir, &c., B. S. TOWNROE. Member of L.C.C. Housing Committee. 8 Netherhall Gardens, N. TV. 8.
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