Boris Johnson’s scheme to bring empty properties back into use to help ease London’s housing crisis has slowed to a virtual halt.
The project only managed to take eight homes in the capital out of disrepair last year. The Mayor had planned to spend £3.6 million on the initiative in 2012/13 but in fact spent just £39,000.
The figures, uncovered by the London section of BBC1’s Sunday Politics, will be embarrassing for Mr Johnson, who brought 1,775 properties back into use in 18 months during his first term.
Labour housing spokesman Tom Copley said: “The buck stops with the Mayor. He needs to get a grip on this.” David Ireland, chief executive of charity Empty Homes, said: “It is pitifully low. What was quite a good programme has very seriously tailed off”.
City Hall insiders suggested the scheme had slipped due
to difficulties getting boroughs on board but insisted the target to bring more than 1,000 empty homes back into use by 2015 would be met.
