Housing Need in North Herts
Affordability and the Local Housing Market
The demand for housing in the district is high and market cost housing is increasingly out of reach for many households. Households who are without adequate housing and who cannot afford to buy or rent suitable housing in the open market are said to be in housing need. The Council is committed to meeting this housing need through the provision of affordable housing in the district.
You can find out more about affordable housing available in North Herts on our Apply for Housing pages.
Strategic Housing Market Assessments
In order to establish the extent of housing need in the district, the Council undertakes regular district wide assessments of the local housing market. These surveys also help us to make projections for the future.
A Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) was completed in August 2008. This was updated in October 2010. A copy of these documents can be downloaded below, along with copies of earlier housing needs studies.
Housing Needs Study 2002 (445 KB) 
Housing Needs Survey Update 2006 (191 KB)
North Hertfordshire & Stevenage Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2008 (1.64 MB)
North Hertfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment Update 2010 (527 KB)
The 2010 SHMA update highlights the continuing pressures on the district's affordable housing stock. It estimates that each year over 800 households will fall into housing need, that is they are unlikely to be able to meet their housing needs in the local housing market without some assistance.
Taking into account the supply of affordable housing, the study estimates that there will be an overall annual shortfall of 560 affordable housing units in the district.
Parish Housing Needs Surveys
The Council supplements data from the district wide housing needs surveys with more localised information from surveys carried out in individual parishes.
These are conducted in partnership with parish councils and the Countryside Development Agency's Rural Housing Enabler. Recommendations from the most recent surveys can be downloaded below.
