[Report 1965] / Medical Officer of Health, Harpenden U.D.C.

Harpenden (England). Urban District Council.

Date:: 1965

Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1965] / Medical Officer of Health, Harpenden U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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Summary of Housing Applicants. Ap-oli cants Active List Deferred List Total Married Couples with chil dr en. 93 43 136 Married Couples and Engaged Couplesc 59 45 104 Single Persons. 29 16 45 Old Persons. 62 - 62 243 104 347 It is significant that the total number of applications for housing accommodation seems invariably to exceed 300 despite the number of people who are rehoused and the number who are able, ultimately, to provide their own accommodation. There can be no doubt, however, that even in this affluent age of full employment many people can still only look to the Council for accommodation as land and property prices keep rising. In this area the amount of priva,tely rented accommodation is veiy limited indeed and very few properties lend themselves for conversion into flats. It is alarming to note, however, how many young people, still only in their teens, have been forced into early marriage and immediately look to the Council for accommodation, in view of the lack of resources to fend for themselves. This is a development which has been veiy marked in the last few years and certainly was quite rare 10 or 15 year's a.go« The system of allocating Council flats and houses solely on ’need’ was continued successfully during the year and appears to be accepted by most applicants as being quite fair and reasonable. During the year, in addition to the 19 new dwellings completed, a further 10 houses and 11 flats became vacant.