EDITOR’S COMMENT There’s a pretty standard template for the kind of story you find at the top of the “trending” box on EG’s website. It’s normally a deal, investment or leasing, and the bigger the pound sign or square footage the better. Or it’s an agency’s latest results or a new business launch from an industry heavy hitter.
And it’s always satisfying to see these stories resonate with readers, especially when our reporters are pushing so hard to bring them home. But this week, our most-read list included something different, and it made me happy to see. I’ll talk about why in a moment, but I’ll recap the story first.
It’s cold. Freezing in fact. Weather warnings from the Met Office remain in place across the country, and in London the mayor’s office has initiated a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol to help protect homeless people as the temperatures fall. And the Greater London Authority, with the assistance of the London Property Alliance, has asked real estate to answer the call for help.
Last week, the LPA emailed member companies – it has more than 400 across its City and West End associations – and asked them to consider offering empty premises in TfL zones 1 and 2 to house the homeless while temperatures remain below freezing. Charity partners including St Mungo’s will then provide food, medical and other support, as well as a bed for the night.
The premises could be empty office floors, leisure or retail space as well as hotel rooms – they need to be weatherproof, have running water and be able to be heated and lit. The GLA will take responsibility for short-term use of any space offered and ensure it is returned in good condition.
We wanted to amplify that call, so we wrote about the request, and the reaction – at least based on an unscientific analysis of LinkedIn – showed the industry was more than willing to engage. My post asking real estate to step up was shared almost 60 times, has close to 20,000 views and the story shot to the top of our most-read list.
I hadn’t expected that. Not because I thought real estate wouldn’t care. Simply because with the news cycle as busy as it is and with everyone getting back up to speed in the first weeks of January, it felt like this might be published and then disappear as the next stories emerged. But I’m glad, genuinely glad, that I was wrong. If a deal story has to settle for second place on our most-read list for the sake of the greater good, I’m OK with that.
But as that story eventually becomes old news, please don’t forget the call or its urgency. Rosie Day, the LPA’s chief strategy officer, tells me the organisation has had a lot of companies contacting them offering space, but sadly not many sites yet fulfil the GLA and St Mungo’s requirements.
LandAid has identified some supported housing that can be used and other LPA members are trawling their portfolios. If you’re reading this and weren’t aware
of the call but think you might be able to help, please drop Rosie a line at rosie.day@cwpa.org.uk.
Real estate reaffirmed some of my faith in humanity with the reaction to our story, but what the more than 10,000 people having to sleep rough in central London need is action. They need somewhere warm and safe at night as temperatures plummet.
I’m a big believer that real estate can deliver. Please prove me right.
To send feedback, e-mail tim.burke@eg.co.uk or tweet @_tim_burke or @EGPropertyNews
