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End ‘rabbit hutch’ life
• LONDON Assembly has unanimously called on Mayor Boris Johnson to increase the proportion of family homes in new-build social housing and to ensure that those houses are larger than the current “rabbit hutch” dwellings.
At the moment in Islington more than 10,000 households are on the waiting list for social housing. Of those, a large percentage are families who are struggling to raise children in cramped and overcrowded conditions.
For me, overcrowding is one of the most important issues we need to deal with. Overcrowded homes are closely linked to poor health, bad educational attainment and high levels of stress.
At the start of my campaign on this issue, many years ago, I visited a family in Islington who had four children sleeping in one bed. No room to study, and no room to play – the memory will never leave me.
This is why I am so glad to see my colleagues on the Assembly finally standing together on this issue. The mayor owes it to London to see that no child has to live like this. I for one will be continuing the campaign to make sure they don’t.
JENNETTE ARNOLD
Labour London Assembly member, North East London
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