Safe as Houses: Private Greed, Political Negligence and Housing Policy After Grenfell

The Grenfell tower fire has revealed a shadowy background of outsourcing, private finance initiatives, and a council turning a blind eye to health and safety concerns. Stuart Hodkinson has worked with residents groups in council regeneration projects across London and will weave together his research on PFIs, regulation, and resident action to tell the whole story of how Grenfell happened and how this could easily have happened in multiple locations across the country.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 14 March 2019
Publisher: Manchester University Press

As the tragic events surrounding the Grenfell Tower fire unfold, revealing a shadowy background of outsourcing, private finance initiatives (PFIs), and a council turning a blind eye to health and safety concerns, numerous questions arise. In this critical moment, Stuart Hodkinson stands ready to provide the answers we seek. With a decade of experience working closely with residents groups involved in council regeneration projects across London, Stuart has a unique perspective on the unfolding situation.

Over the years, as residents of 60s and 70s social housing have been displaced to make way for higher-rent-paying newcomers, they have been promised a higher quality of living. However, the responsibility for this housing has been handed over to private consortia, which have been granted the autonomy to self-regulate quality and safety. Regrettably, residents have been ignored for years on this matter, and it is only now that the truth is emerging.

Stuart's extensive research on PFIs, regulation, and resident action will be woven together to shed light on the circumstances surrounding Grenfell and the potential for similar incidents to occur in multiple locations across the country. His insights will help us understand the complex web of factors that led to this tragedy and the urgent need for reform.

As we navigate this challenging period, it is essential that we seek truth and accountability. Stuart's work provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the events surrounding Grenfell and offers a roadmap for preventing such tragedies in the future. Let us listen to his expertise and work together to build a safer and more just society for all.

Weight: 300g
Dimension: 132 x 198 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526129987