IH launches new campaign
Inside Housing is this week launching a campaign to take housing to the top of the political agenda as we enter a general election year.
House Proud, a joint campaign with the Chartered Institute of Housing, aims to hammer home the massive contribution good housing makes to British lives.
Its goals are to sign up 250 supporters ahead of the election, ensure the main political parties’ election manifestos include a housing pledge and help the sector take every chance to make housing a key political issue to the election - and beyond.
Sarah Webb, chief executive of the CIH, said House Proud would send out ‘a strong, unified message to our next government - good housing is an essential ingredient for economic prosperity, healthy and safe communities, educational achievement and social mobility - we ignore it at our peril’.
Between now and the election the campaign will prove housing’s case by focusing on the significant financial and practical benefits the sector delivers to areas including health, education, anti-social behaviour and sustainability.
You can get involved by signing our online petition in support of the campaign aims. We are also keen to hear your suggestions for housing pledges you would like to see in the manifestos of the main political parties.
We are encouraging everyone in the sector to stress the importance of housing wherever possible, and have provided a sheet of statistics to back up your views. Ask prospective MPs what they’re doing about housing, and encourage them to sign the petition.
We’d also like to hear from you with any stories, videos or statistics about how housing has proved its worth in your area. You can contact us by emailing houseproud@insidehousing.co.uk
For more on House Proud, see the campaign page
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Readers' comments (5)
alex kendall | 15/01/2010 9:57 am
I do welcome such an opportunity to push housing to the forefront of the election we cannot allow political parties to offer mere sound bites and policy papers drafted by their researchers who have a theoretical insight in to housing. I do welcome the lobby group Building futures that are focusing on planning and housing. The issue of planning is key policy mechanism to all of us we must provide new homes for a growing population the RSS is a useful tool to aid us. It is quite strange how some professional journals for planning are not adopting such a stance as Inside Housing. As for the RITP just look at the Guardian careers community blog on Tuesday what a disaster!!!! Someone give out the phone number for John Healey and encouraged planning graduates to lobby for action and provide training places!!! Political parties must spell out what they will do. The Glib Dems merely offer a rehash of existing empty homes provision what about new build?? Will it go the same way as student tuition fees???
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alex kendal | 15/01/2010 11:34 am
Which Tory MP had a meeting a few days ago with some key figures form Building Futures??? Some people had to endure a 15 minute rant of why this MP felt he was being undermined. Well what’s good for the goose is good for the gander old boy!!!
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Archie Texts | 16/01/2010 1:04 pm
Housing Pledge.
Which political party is going to support the continuation of HomeBuy Direct in England and extend it to Wales and Scotland?
Archie.
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B.S. Townroe | 18/01/2010 6:35 am
Isn't the 'House Proud' tag taken?
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The ONLY One | 20/01/2010 5:44 pm
KASS for leader. With their indepth knowledge of the systematic housing failures, fraudulant use of public funds, abuse of tenants, high bonuses of housing managers, and staff getting away, literally, with murder Kass will have the solution to us all.
We are saved. We are KASS!!!
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