Capital Letters recognised by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
We are proud to be recognised by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) as an organisation that is building the foundations for better lives in London.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation report “Bringing private homes into social ownership can rewire the housing system” has recognised that the Capital Letters model can be part of the future for London housing.
The report says that…
“central and local governments working together to establish local housing companies in TA ‘hotspots’, which can purchase, retrofit and then let out homes for use as TA at more affordable rents, this would build on the model of Capital Letters…” can be part of reducing costs and raising standards.
“Bringing private homes into social ownership can rewire the housing system” by Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Our work, in a challenging and superheated London rental market, has resulted in over 6,500 homes being offered to our member boroughs meaning over 6,500 households have had the chance to leave temporary accommodation and build the foundation of a healthy and productive life by moving to a private rented home and putting down secure roots.
In the next 2 years Capital Letters in partnership with the housing charity Home Safe Housing will be investing £750m – the current size of the Local Authority Housing Fund – providing up to 2,500 refurbished, high quality rental homes for Londoners. Most of these homes will be offered at LHA rate to those who are experiencing homelessness and are in temporary accommodation.
Settled housing comes with a host of benefits, from improved educational results to improved health and wellbeing. This isn’t about saving money on TA, it’s about saving money in the NHS, in benefits, and increasing employment outcomes, so raising money on taxes, and empowering people to live their best lives.
The last few years have been extremely challenging supplying LHA rate homes. LHA up until April 2024 fell dramatically short of the 30% of local market rates that it was designed to cover, indeed on specific days in London it covered 0.2% of local market. Our inclusion in this report is a testament to the forward-thinking boroughs who created Capital Letters, and of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Capital Letters is a proud disruptor in the housing sector. Since we were founded Capital letters has pushed for systemic change to the way in which the housing and homelessness crisis is addressed, identifying solutions which will result in more homes for Londoners desperately need them.
We are already starting to rewire the housing system by partnering with private ESG investors to provide social and affordable homes as an ethical private landlord.