Camden Labour is supporting the Crown tenants in their campaign to prevent their landlord, the Crown Commissioners, from selling off their homes to a speculative developer. The proposal involves 539 units of social housing in Regents Park Ward. Many of the residents are elderly and have Rent Act protected tenancies. More recently, flats have been allocated to “key workers” under assured shorthold tenancies.

Local residents, Mary and Bill Greenleaf with Cllr Heather Johnson, Frank Dobson MP and Cllr Nasim Ali

On 7th February, Cllr Heather Johnson wrote to the Crown’s Director of Investment and Asset Management. Heather asks, “Why is the sale necessary? Why is the consultation process so inadequate? How will the rights of existing tenants be protected? What will happen to rents? What will happen to the ‘key worker allocation scheme’?”

This is a critical week for the campaign. On 1st March, Steve Smith led a delegation of residents to the full meeting of the council. Cllr Heather Johnson spoke in support of the campaign.

On Tuesday, the Treasury Select Committee quizzed the Crown Commissioners about their proposals.  On Thursday, Frank Dobson MP raised the issue in a House of Commons debate. 

Last week’s report in the CNJ and details of the campaign can be found at the Resident’s Association web-site www.ourhomesarenotforsale.co.uk.