The New Housing Model

• Model Overview

The solution that I would like to propose is a housing model that will enable the development of age-friendly infill housing on local authority estates. This would allow elderly people to stay in their local area, maintain social networks, without displacement to institutional settings such as care homes or even hospitals. This will still lead to a net increase across the estate, by freeing up the elderly’s under occupied homes and those no longer fit for purpose.

The New Housing Model

• Model Breakdown

As the diagram shows, the older people currently living in the existing general needs housing stock will help co-produce the specific needs housing. Once that has been completed, they will move in, leaving their old property to be refurbished ready for it to home a new family on the housing waiting list. This housing model was one that I developed alongside my placement at Community led housing, as a response to situations where estate residents’ needs would change, but they still wanted to remain within the community. This approach is also seen as a more financially viable approach, with councils and developers constructing smaller homes, in order to free up larger ones. Lewisham, where I currently live is one of the inner London boroughs that is due to see one of the biggest percentage growths in over 65s by 2030. Lewisham is also in the top 10 of London boroughs that have the longest waiting lists for social housing, with nearly 10,000 households, many of which are families.