I write in response to the letter, "Single mums can't get on the property ladder" (September 15).

The question raised is whether the affordable housing provided in the city is available to those who can't afford to buy a house, given the current high values of property on the open market.

The answer is yes.

As part of the affordable housing element in many developments, housing associations offer something called "shared ownership".

The redevelopment plans for the King Alfred site contain 182 shared-ownership flats.

These flats and houses would be made available on a part-buy, part-rent basis.

Purchasers typically buy a 40-50 per cent share of the market value of the property and rent the remainder from the housing association.

The rent is subsidised and the total costs are typically about 70 per cent of the costs of outright ownership.

Owners can purchase additional shares to eventually own the whole property. When they wish to move on, they sell their share on the open market, though the housing association retains a right to nominate a suitable buyer.

Shared ownership is for people who have household incomes ranging from £20,000 to £50,000, many of whom - but not all - are key workers, such as teachers and nurses.

Southern Housing Group currently has 94 flats for shared ownership on two developments in the Preston Park area.

The first 20 will be available from early in 2006 and the remaining 74 in 2007.

Moat Housing Group has recently sold three local shared ownership houses and has 41 flats which will become available in the next two years at the Brighton Station redevelopment.

For more information on shared ownership, call Southern Housing on 020 7553 6420 or email sales@shho.org.uk

-Jeremy Barkway, regional development manager, Southern Housing Group Limited