DENISE Craghill, City of York Council’s executive member for housing, says the city council kept 243 households at risk of homelessness secure in their homes in the past year (Many facing homelessness are in work, September 30). Government figures for York during that period reveal 786 households at risk. So the city council supported 33 per cent of those owed a duty of care (under law) to secure their accommodation. What happened to the other 66 per cent?

The council claims to address the housing crisis through the Local Plan setting affordable housing targets. When did the council last set and meet realistic targets on socially affordable rented housing?The council’s Housing Delivery Programme plans 600 houses being built over five years. That’s 120 a year. With over 1,000 people on York’s housing list how long will they wait to be housed?

Forty per cent of the new houses will be affordable. That’s not the full story. Only 20 per cent (24 a year) will be social housing to rent. The other 20 per cent per cent will be sold at ‘affordable prices’. Can low paid or part time workers afford to buy a house?

The city’s crisis is a lack of socially affordable rented properties. The council will release 24 new properties a year towards meeting the needs of hundreds of households for secure housing. They may all be accommodated within 22 years. Is that a shameful and disgraceful target?

Paul Wordsworth,

Burniston Grove, York

Why is council building homes to sell?

CITY of York Council have laudable plans to build more than 600 new homes in the next five years (Green homes ‘to cost £60 a year to heat’, October 1). But why are some of these going to be sold, rather than all being rented, considering the long waiting list of local people wanting a council house? Stick to what you know. There is a competent construction industry for homes to buy.

Geoff Robb,

Hunters Close, Dunnington