Sixty per cent of the Mayor's plans for new housing will consist of social housing, available for social rent, meaning more social housing jobs will be opening. Councils across London have been asked to deliver 40,917 affordable homes by 2011.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson wants to deliver affordable housing targets for each of London's 33 boroughs for 2008 to 2011. These targets have now been published and work will start immediately to meet these targets.

This is the Mayor's first Housing Strategy, which has been issued following a long consultation and much discussion. They have all been agreed by the Mayor and the boroughs, except for Bromley's target which has not yet been formally agreed. 40 per cent of homes will be intermediate housing, and 60 for social rent.  Belinda Porich, head of London at the National Housing Federation, said: "We welcome the Mayor’s support for affordable housing and his public commitment to the need for high quality housing in the capital."

The strategy states that 16 per cent of intermediate homes should have three or more bedrooms by 2011 and that 42 per cent of social rented homes should also be the same size.

Boris Johnson also pledges: to end rough sleeping by 2012, raise the households income threshold for intermediate housing to £74,000, tackle overcrowding and improve the design of homes and support for the private rented sector.

He would also like to improve the quality of social housing as well as to bring empty homes back into use, with no more than one per cent of homes being empty for more than six months.

Mr Johnson said: "Good quality housing is the backbone of any great city and despite the recent economic maelstroms we remain on course to deliver a record number of affordable, quality homes."