This Autumn issue of WHQ has just been published, featuring building safety, misinformation, temporary accommodation, affordability and much, much more.
Building safety is our primary theme. We have the latest on the Building Safety (Wales) Bill as it works its way through the Senedd. Bethan Proctor examines the legislation that aims to improve safety in multi-occupied buildings and raise concerns for housing associations. While the Bill focuses mainly on the occupation phase of buildings, Toby Adam draws on experiences of legislation in England to consider what it could mean for the design and construction of buildings in Wales. Meanwhile Mark Thomas reports on the plight of leaseholders in existing blocks still caught up in the post-Grenfell building safety crisis.
We also look at building safety through a wider lens. Kayley Hyman reports on hoarding and how to tackle it, Kevin Doughty and Gareth Williams make the case for a unified digital platform for social housing and Roger Hiscott looks at an initiative that shows how retrofit can become preventative medicine.
After a summer of misinformation about housing, especially in relation to migration, we also consider that issue from multiple perspectives. Catherine Evans reports on how Trivallis has been fighting back, John Perry debunks some myths about migrants and social housing and Alicja Zalesinska says the housing sector must do more to push back against misinformation. Natalie Tate and Ian Hembrow also reflect on how to communicate our messages about housing and new homes.
This issue also covers two more developments with major implications for social landlords, with our policy update including stories on the High Court judgment that has hopefully resolved the problems over electrical condition reports and rents and the new 10-year rent settlement for social housing. Karel Williams and Keith Edwards argue that we need to look more deeply at affordability to create a joined-up policy.
We also look at the impacts of different aspects of the housing crisis on the people experiencing them. Wendy Dearden looks at the impact on children of living in temporary accommodation and considers what can be done to make things better, while Pete Johnson reflects on staff burnout and compassion fatigue and what can be done to tackle them.
Another topic of conversation over the summer has been the imminent introduction of Welsh Language Standards for housing associations. Aled Davies and Gwyndaf Tobias consider the implications from the perspective of two associations from different parts of the country.
All this, plus all our usual features and updates, make this an issue with something for everyone working in housing in Wales.
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