I WRITE in response to Mr Rogers's letter about affordable housing (September 20).
In terms of affordable planning policy and housing need in York, a household is defined as being unable to afford private-sector housing if it has a gross household income of less than one third of its mortgage requirement, and renting privately would take up more than 30 per cent of its net household income.
The equity available to households is also taken into account.
To determine housing need in York, a Government-approved model is used to assess the backlog of existing need (people now in unsuitable housing for a variety of reasons such as overcrowding, health and/or mobility problems, harassment..) plus newly arising need (e.g. new households forming), minus potential supply.
It is household income set against private-sector house prices and rents that provides the formula for determining the affordability of housing.
Derek Gauld,
Principal development officer,
St Leonard's Place, York.
Updated: 10:58 Saturday, September 24, 2005
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