I held a meeting with some of Soha Housing's (Soha) social housing tenants as part of the campaign launched in Westminster entitled 'Benefit to Society.' The campaign looks at how we can overcome the stigma attached to social housing.
In an open discussion with me, tenants shared their concerns, experiences and ideas. The issues raised included how Soha can help contribute to removing stigma, how the sector can be better regulated, and how tenants can better represent themselves in the community.
I said: "I am very grateful for tenants providing me with their ideas. It was interesting to learn how the use of language can play an important part and the enormous efforts that have to be made to overcome the current bias in television programmes. For example, the media often insinuate that social housing tenants are unemployed and claiming benefits, 100% of those who attended were either retired or employed."
The meeting also discussed how individual estates could be improved so that within a few years they become places people want to live rather than places people try to avoid. A good example of this is the Gainsborough Estate in Henley, which the tenants said they would now view as a desirable place to live, whereas previously they would have tried to avoid living there.
Sadie Quinton, one of the residents who attended the meeting, said "It was a positive meeting. I was unsure how it would go but found the MP, John Howell, to be an affable man, who listened to everyone in the room. Language is a very important part of not stigmatising those who live in social housing, many of us hold jobs and careers we are proud of. I can only hope that the media turn a corner and, with whoever is in power and representing all people, show the positive sides of communities, diversity and understanding. Hope for the future, that there will be more social housing that is affordable to those who need it."
The Meeting wanted to see the District Council ensure that there is a good supply of social housing as well as affordable housing, recognising that 1 in 5 English homes are owned by housing associations.
I and tenants agreed how they would work together in the future to help address these issues.
