What is affordable housing?
Affordable housing is housing that is affordable to those who
cannot afford what is readily available on the open market. A
house is not affordable if it takes more than 30% of gross
income or if the mortgage needed is more than 2.9 times joint
income or 3.5 times single income.
The Government's definition of affordable housing is:
'Affordable housing includes social rented and
intermediate housing, provided to specified eligible households
whose needs are not met by the market.'
Affordable housing should:
- Meet the needs of eligible households including
availability at a cost low enough for them to afford, determined
with regard to local incomes and local house prices.
- Include provision for the home to remain at an
affordable price for future eligible households or, if these
restrictions are lifted, for the subsidy to be recycled for
alternative affordable housing provision.
Social rented housing is:
'Rented housing owned and managed by local
authorities and registered social landlords' or housing
associations.'
Intermediate affordable housing is:
'Housing at prices and rents above those of social rent, but
below market price or rents, and which meet the criteria set out
above. These can include shared equity products e.g. HomeBuy, other
low cost homes for sale and intermediate rent.'
Escalating house prices and high private rents have meant that
there is a huge demand for affordable housing.
Harrogate Borough Council works with partner
Housing Associations to run
initiatives, which provide low cost homes for rent and sale, to
help people who are unable to afford to rent or buy a home on the
open market.
In order to qualify for one of the above schemes, you must be
registered on Harrogate Borough Council's housing list. You can
download a form by clicking on the link below: