A HOTLINE has been launched for residents to report vacant properties after new figures showed Lewisham has more than 4,000 empty homes.
London Mayor Ken Livingstone launched the hotline with national housing charity the Empty Homes Agency.
Government statistics for the period July 2000 to June 2001 showed there were 20,250 homeless people on the streets of inner London. Of these, 1,244 were living rough in Lewisham.
And new figures from the agency show there are 1,000 empty council homes in Lewisham, 339 empty properties owned by housing associations and 2,835 in the private sector.
The agency wants empty properties, such as shops, offices and other redundant buildings, to be converted into accommodation for homeless people and those living in sub-standard or temporary accommodation.
Empty homes grants are available for property owners who work with the council or registered housing associations for repairs to get the houses back into a liveable state.
The owner will receive rent for the property depending on the cost of repairs and length of the lease.
A Lewisham Council spokesman said: "We are on target to bring back into use almost 100 homes this financial year.
"For example, there was an amazing transformation of 21 properties on Plassey Road, in Catford.
"The homes had slowly fallen into disrepair over the last couple of decades.
"Six of the properties have been made available to key workers and 15 will provide housing for local homeless families."
Craig Jones, shortlife development officer for Horizon Housing Association, said: "Horizon takes on Lewisham's real eyesores.
"We are currently doing one in Sangley Road, in Catford. It will be a six-bedroom house, which will be completely refurbished with a seven-year lease."
The mayor's advisor on the homeless Glenda Jackson said: "Every empty property represents at least one person in inadequate or temporary accommodation on our streets."
If you have an empty property, call Craig Jones at Horizon Housing on 020 8768 2030. If you want to report an empty property, call the London Empty Homes Hotline on 0870 901 6303.
October 24, 2001 15:56
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