TV schedules are awash with property porn shows such as Location Location Location, Grand Designs and Homes Under the Hammer. From the dearth of programming devoted to it, you could be forgiven for thinking this country doesn’t have a housing crisis.
A few social housing providers have opened themselves or their communities up to documentary filmmakers in an an attempt to make people aware of the scale of Britain’s housing shortage, but too often their work gets twisted into the poverty porn epitomised by Channel 4’s much-maligned Benefits Street.
The difficulties young people now face are every bit as severe as those depicted in Ken Loach’s film Cathy Come Home, which influenced action on homelessness in the 60s and 70s. But where are the modern day programmes and films about real housing issues?
Up and down the country, there are countless examples of the real issues in housing. The New Era tenants whose social homes were bought by investors and faced eviction were the most high profile recently, but the problem is much deeper. There are 1.6 million families on waiting lists for housing, more than 57,000 families in temporary accommodation, rough sleeping numbers are increasing, the housing benefit bill expected to reach £25bn by 2017 and there is generation of young people who will likely never be able to afford a home.
There are debates about the role of the green belt and the nimbys (“Not in my back yard”) who object to new builds in their area, the unused government land that could be used for homes and the groundbreaking work by community land trusts, self-builders and co-housing groups to remedy some of the problems. So let’s get this on TV screens and into the public consciousness.
The popularity of property shows proves that housing clearly fascinates Britons, but it failed to register as a major issue in this year’s election campaigns. It affects everyone and swallows up a lot of our money but, sadly, housing policy just isn’t sexy.
Perhaps it’s so all-pervading and fundamental to the fabric of life experience that it simply fails to grab attention in the way that topics such as the NHS, the economy, immigration, and education do. Housing seems worthy but dull – an important but boring stage for real-life drama.
Britain needs a new Ken Loach to reach out and grab public attention by the throat. Or at least let’s have some fresh programmes and films that put community centre stage.
Most councils and social housing providers are already sitting on dozens of pitch-ready, true-life tales to horrify, inspire and rouse in equal measure. A study of genre viewing trends by the Broadcasters Audience Research Board concluded with the sentence: “We just don’t seem to do earnestness any more. Not on TV at any rate.” Housing providers need to strike a balance between risk and reward, but overall, on-screen exposure promises more opportunity than trouble.
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