An extensive investigation into London's severe housing crisis has been honored with a prestigious award at the Regional Press Awards 2026. MyLondon's 'Broken Homes' project, which launched in March 2025, was named Digital Initiative of the Year during a ceremony held in Central London on Wednesday, March 11.
Uncovering the Reality of London's Housing Struggles
Throughout 2025, the MyLondon team visited hundreds of Londoners in their own homes to document their experiences with housing disrepair, landlord apathy, and short-notice evictions. The project has produced over 100 stories, including in-depth investigations that revealed a postcode lottery for temporary accommodation and chronic lift breakdowns in tower blocks that trap residents for weeks at a time.
Award-Winning Digital Innovation
The award judges praised MyLondon's project as an excellent use of digital innovation to tell a story vital to the public interest. They noted that the compelling, thorough investigation works hand-in-hand with emotive, unflinching presentation, creating something greater than the sum of its already-powerful parts.
Four Key Calls for National Change
Based on their findings, MyLondon is advocating for four significant policy changes to address systemic issues in London's housing landscape:
- Universal Distance Cap for Temporary Accommodation: Implement a consistent distance limit across all English councils to eliminate the current postcode lottery. Some councils currently have caps, such as 90 minutes' travel time, while most do not, creating unfair situations where people can be sent to the other side of the country temporarily.
- Ban on Threatening Housing Help Withdrawal: Prohibit councils from discharging their statutory duty to individuals who refuse housing offers at unreasonable distances. MyLondon has launched a petition calling for this change, arguing that using the threat of homelessness to force people to move over 200 miles away from jobs and support networks constitutes a national scandal.
- Legislation for Lift Repairs: Create specific legislation requiring landlords to repair broken lifts within 24 to 48 hours. Current guidance only vaguely covers communal areas without set timeframes, creating significant public health and safety issues for people with limited mobility who become trapped in their homes or must climb unsafe numbers of stairs.
- Improved Council Cooperation: Establish a better system of cooperation between English councils for sourcing and managing temporary housing. Currently, councils compete against each other in bidding wars that push up property prices and merely relocate problems rather than solving them.
The Human Impact Behind the Investigation
The Broken Homes project has documented housing blocks plagued by mould and pests, newbuilds riddled with construction problems, and the devastating personal consequences of London's housing crisis. The reporting team, including Luke Donnelly, Katherine Gray, Charlotte Lillywhite, Philip James Lynch, Dave Comeau, Harrison Galliven, and Adrian Zorzut, has worked to amplify these voices through digital storytelling.
MyLondon's initiative continues to push for meaningful change at the national level, combining investigative journalism with public advocacy to address one of London's most pressing social issues.
