Purpose

Following the Cabinet’s
declaration of a Housing Emergency in December 2023, opportunities
for the Council to consider larger property purchases are being
investigated. Larger acquisitions of property already constructed
can give us good quality additional units at scale and will help to
mitigate some of the impact of the Housing Emergency.
 
Cabinet is being asked to
approve a significant property purchase by the HRA close to the
city centre which would provide 77 flats for social
rent.

Content

Appendices B, C, D, E, F  G, and H
of this report are exempt from publication pursuant to Paragraphs
14, 16, and 21 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government
Act 1972.

 
RESOLVED: that
 

1.    
the progress being made to address the on-going
Housing Emergency in Cardiff be noted

 

2.    
the acquisition of the properties and
land identified in confidential appendices B & C be
approved and authority be delegated to the Corporate Director
– People and Communities in consultation with the S151
Officer, Legal services and the Cabinet members for Housing and
Communities and Finance, Modernisation and Performance to authorise
exchange of contracts and completion of those properties in
accordance with the Heads of Terms annexed to this report subject
to:
 
·      
Approval of appropriate grant funding being secured
from Welsh Government
·      
Confirmation of a suitable financial viability
assessment for each purchase
·      
Confirmation that the decision does not result in
commitments outside the budget framework.
 

3.    
the extension of the use of specific hotel provision
at the Copthorne hotel as family homeless accommodation be approved
for a period of approximately 12 months.

 

4.    
the Cardiff Local Housing Needs Assessment
(2022-2027) be approved.