Housing Justice News Release 20 February 2007
For immediate release
Housing Justice condemns Hills review as missed opportunity
Christian homelessness charity Housing Justice today reacted to the publication of the review of social housing by Professor John Hills with concern.
The review, commissioned by the government, sought to analyse existing government housing policy as well as to map out the future of social housing. Housing Justice believes that it has failed to address the fundamental issue which is increasing the supply of social housing.
Chief Executive of Housing Justice Alison Gelder commented “We fear that Professor Hills’ review fails to tackle the main problem. This review provides no hope for the 92,000 homeless families in temporary accommodation, the more than 1.6million families on council waiting lists or the thousands of single people in insecure accommodation. In addition it offers no respite for the 500,000 families having to endure overcrowded housing. What these people need is for the government to invest at once in new affordable housing that is the right size and in the right locations.”
She went on “Every day our housing advice centres see the results of the failure of government housing policy over the past two decades, in particular the failure to invest in new social housing. If the government gave a commitment to increasing the supply of affordable housing and making the current stock fit for purpose many of the problems Professor Hills identifies would be eliminated.”
Ends
Notes
The report by Professor John Hills - Ends and Means: the future roles of social housing in England is available on the London School of Economics website www.lse.ac.uk
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and bad housing.
Housing Justice was formed in April 2003 by the merger of two long-standing housing charities, the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS) and the Churches National Housing Coalition (CNHC). In January 2006 Housing Justice merged with UNLEASH (Church Action on Homelessness in London).
Housing Justice brings together more than 60 years experience of working for change in the field of housing.
Housing Justice provides frontline services to people in housing need and campaigns to improve housing policy.
In total Housing Justice is actively involved in more than 35 communities across England and Wales.
The Housing Justice CHAS network of 12 housing advice centres –in Bradford, Bristol, Croydon, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Kingston upon Thames, Leeds, Central London, Middlesbrough, Oswestry and York- provide practical support to people with housing and related problems.
Housing Justice UNLEASH works to support church-based housing and homelessness projects in London.
Housing Justice Regenerate, funded by the government's Civil Renewal Unit, supports resident-led regeneration in 15 guide neighbourhoods across the UK. Regenerate brings together residents who have transformed their estates with those who want to embark on the regeneration process to share learning and offer support.
Housing Justice works with, and for, homeless and badly housed people of all denominations, and with those who have no religious beliefs. All our services are offered to the whole community and, wherever possible, we work in partnership with others who share our values, regardless of religious beliefs.
Further information on Housing Justice and Homelessness Sunday is available at www.housingjustice.org.uk
Contact
Judith Maizel-Long 020 7723 7273
email info@housingjustice.org.uk