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Why is it important?
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Our CEO Charlie writes a compelling article for Inside Housing called "The Housing Crisis Calls for Deeds, Not Words." As Chair of the Greater Manchester Housing Providers, she emphasises the urgent need for a vital new approach to social housing.
In the article, Charlie draws on historical inspiration from Emmeline Pankhurst's motto "deeds not words" to highlight the ongoing housing crisis.
Charlie writes, "Last week, I walked past the brilliant statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in Manchester city centre – someone had placed a bouquet of flowers in her hand on polling day, which was a lovely touch. Frustrated by a lack of action in 1903, Ms Pankhurst and the Women’s Social and Political Union created the motto of ‘deeds not words’ – which rings just as true today.
"Analysis by the National Housing Federation (NHF) tells us that 4.2 million people are now in need of social housing in England. Policy decisions since 2010 have led to a chronic undersupply of the most basic and fundamental human need, following decades of underinvestment.
"For every new social home built in England, six households were accepted as homeless by their local council. Social and affordable housebuilding continues to tumble and too many people are living in precarious, unsafe and overcrowded homes. It is beyond tragic that there are 145,000 children living in temporary accommodation, impacting their ability to get on in life.
"The human cost of so many people not being able to secure a decent, safe and warm home is shocking. There simply aren’t enough homes and we face a huge challenge with too many old and cold homes that require significant investment."
Charlie argues that addressing the housing crisis requires action and not just talking!
She outlines a vision for Greater Manchester to become a Housing First City Region by 2038, emphasising supply, standards, and support. This ambitious goal will involve breaking down barriers, securing appropriate funding, and ensuring long-term planning and investment.
Charlie said, “Every one of us needs a home that is right for our time of life and any one of us could become homeless because of life events – a safety net should be in place if this does happen.”
