The Mayor of London has significant housing powers. The Mayor is in charge of the London housing investment budget, the London Plan which sets strategic planning policies for London including policies for new housing and different categories of new ‘affordable’ housing. The Mayor also has the power to veto, and in some cases to directly approve, planning applications for major new developments. The Mayor has the power to set targets for the number of homes to be built in each borough and to publish guidance on the type of homes to be built.

Increase the overall affordable housing target to 65% and reintroduce a social rent target at 35% of the total housing target. Set targets for each borough. Focus the investment program on funding social rented and not on funding forms of homeownership and marginally sub-market rented homes. Where land is owned by the GLA which is suitable for housing, this should only be used for the development of socially rented homes. In order to ensure an appropriate distribution of new social housing across London, the Mayor should directly acquire land for new social housing development, primarily in areas that are predominantly market owner-occupied.