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To make the Shelter commission report’s recommendations a reality we need to speak to people’s emotions, writes Sinéad Butters
“If we can’t do this now, we can’t do it,” said Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, at the launch of the charity’s social housing commission report last week.
And indeed, the buzz reinforced that the much-quoted ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’ seemed right. We’ve had politicians saying that what’s been done in the past didn’t work, commissioners who have cared deeply and listened to the voices of thousands of tenants, and a report with wide-ranging, ambitious and robust recommendations.
The report puts social housing at the heart of solving homelessness and improving communities for us all – it speaks to every element of what I believe in.
“We need to bring a lot of people in our very divided country with us”
It clearly does to many others, including politicians of the main parties. Economically it makes sound sense, saving the country £60bn on benefit costs.
So why do I also feel reticence?
It comes from the killer question asked at the end of the launch: how do we make this a reality? Because for all the optimism in that room, it’s a huge ask.
We need to bring a lot of people in our very divided country with us.
It does us all good to take our heads out of ‘housing sector’ chatter and reaction – some of the Twitter reaction to 3.1 million more social homes wasn’t pretty. But I understand that. The figures that to us show the scale of the crisis are just scary to many people.
After all, 3.1 million homes is more or less the size of London.
People start to think about what that means for them – visions of saturating already overcrowded areas and reduced access to already stretched public services.
Those fed a diet of stigma-reinforcing news will create their own stories of who will live in these homes.
The report, though, is excellent on making the case for investment in social housing and why existing communities will be stronger for it.
Investment creates a virtuous circle – income funds more homes and increased supply relieves pressure, which drives up standards in the private rented sector and fuels mobility by allowing people to save for homeownership.
But we need to take this debate beyond investment and speak to people’s emotions.
People care about their local areas, their communities and the life they can build. We need to show the importance of strong communities, with homes that everyone can afford.
The 3.1 million homes are for people who ‘just’ want the security of a secure, decent home from where they can live their life, something we should all be able to aspire to.
“We need to take this debate beyond investment and speak to people’s emotions”
They are for older people in private rented accommodation scared that their landlord will refuse to do repairs or evict them.
For people who will never be able to buy a home. Or to let people save towards homeownership. And for those who are vulnerable, who through circumstances beyond their control haven’t had all the advantages that others enjoy. Who wouldn’t want them to have a home?
As a sector, we have got to sell this – yes, sell it. Help people whose news feeds are filled with other matters understand why this matters and why it needs to work.
“As champions of community-led housing, we need to stand shoulder to shoulder with our tenants to sell the report in our communities”
In our divided country, people are wary of politicians and ‘experts’ and believe what they see around them.
So as champions of community-led housing, we need to stand shoulder to shoulder with our tenants to sell the report in our communities.
At our PlaceShapers autumn conference we all agreed on the importance to selling our story – and it’s a good one.
In 20 years’ time, the report shows the dream of a country where everyone has a secure, decent home in a strong community. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we have got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make it a reality.
Sinéad Butters, chair, PlaceShapers and chief executive, Aspire
Complaints and regulation
Tenant voice and involvement
Reforming private renting
Building more social homes