Harrow Council has approved a new Grants to Move Incentive Scheme, allocating £300,000 from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to support the initiative. The scheme previously operated from 2013 to 2017.
The scheme aims to assist eligible council tenants in achieving their housing goals through home ownership, whether through low-cost home ownership schemes or purchasing on the open market, both within and outside of Harrow. It also seeks to address local housing needs by freeing up social housing and aligning with the council's Housing Strategy and Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy.
The Grants to Move Incentive Scheme will provide grants to support eligible council tenants, to meet their housing needs and aspirations, to meet local housing need by releasing much needed social housing, and to deliver its priorities and the aims and objectives of its Housing Strategy and Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy.
The Strategic Director of Housing and Regeneration is authorised to make amendments to the scheme as necessary, following consultation with Councillor Mina Parmar, Portfolio Holder for Housing.
Councillor Parmar said the relaunched scheme would empower tenants to meet their housing needs and aspirations through home ownership, and encourage them to consider the council's own shared ownership schemes, like the Milton Road development. This would free up much-needed council housing, including adapted properties and family-sized homes, enabling more effective allocations to households in housing need on the social housing register, and contributing to broader council priorities.
