THERE are no safeguards in place to ensure Islanders take priority if social housing is offered to hospital construction workers – with 758 households on the waiting list.
Housing Minister Malcolm Ferey said he had not yet assessed the proposed use of Andium homes for hospital workers or agreed with Health Minister Tom Binet how the arrangement could work.
It comes after Senator Binet revealed that the government is responsible for accommodating the construction workforce under its contract with Bouygues UK for the new hospital.
The Health Minister said accommodation would be sought “just about anywhere we can find”, including social housing, alongside private-sector housing and vacant accommodation already rented by the Health Department.
The hospital construction workforce is expected to peak at around 800 employees and subcontractors, including local workers.
Around 450 construction workers are expected to commute regularly to and from Jersey during the build, with about 150 relocating for the construction period.
Senator Binet insisted that Andium homes would only be used to house workers where properties were “not required by local people”.
But the criteria for establishing whether a property is needed by local households, and arrangements for reviewing any homes reserved for workers, have yet to be settled.
No Andium homes are currently being held for future hospital construction workers.
Responding to a written question from Deputy Lyndsay Feltham, the Housing Minister said he would “fully expect” applicants with urgent housing needs to be prioritised – but noted that arrangements have not yet been developed.
“I have not yet been afforded the opportunity to evaluate this,” said Deputy Ferey.
Deputy Feltham subsequently asked what evidence would establish that a home was not needed locally, whether suitable social housing applicants would first be offered it, and what assessment had been made of the impact on housing availability and waiting times.
The Housing Minister said discussions with Senator Binet were planned. Deputy Ferey committed to “appropriate transparency of arrangements”, but said he could not publish details before being briefed and reaching an agreement in principle.
Figures show that 758 active households were awaiting social rented accommodation on 30 September, including 267 in Band 1 – the highest priority band, which includes those who are homeless or facing imminent eviction, have urgent medical issues, or are living in unsuitable conditions.
In his separate answer on vacant properties, the Housing Minister revealed that Andium rented 214 homes directly to Health for key workers. The government manages their occupancy, and Andium does not know which are empty at any given time.
Other vacant Andium homes were undergoing repairs, being allocated to applicants or awaiting sale through its assisted-purchase scheme. One property at Le Clos Couriard had been empty for 182 days while undergoing major repairs.
The answer also identified 32 newly completed flats at Palmer Court, due to be occupied by mid-October, and 11 new houses at Clos des Friquettes, most of which had been allocated.
Senator Binet said new worker accommodation was not currently envisaged.
“The plan is not to displace anybody,” he told the Assembly.
