'Solve Housing Crisis', Politicians Told

One of the UK's top professional groupings in the construction sector has highlighted its priorities for the politicians.

To coincide with the General Election announcement, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has made a public commitment to work with all political parties to solve the increasingly pressing housing crisis.

The commitment from CIH forms part of document published which illustrates the excellent recent track record of housing professionals and highlights, in particular, CIH's expectations of all political parties.

The document – called Practical Help: Working together to deliver homes and communities we can all be proud – sets out CIH's five key expectations of political parties following consultation with CIH’s 22,000 members. The expectations include:

• All parties set out long term visions for housing and consider fundamental change alongside incremental change
• All parties recognise and promote the positive contribution of housing to economic and social policy
• There is greater political leadership at all levels in championing the importance of housing
• All housing tenures are given clear attention in policy and funding terms with full recognition of their inter-relationships
• There is clarity on the respective roles to be played by social and intermediate housing and policy and funding are aligned accordingly

Abigail Davies, CIH Head of Policy said: "CIH and housing professionals are ready to work with parliamentarians and the housing community to meet the challenges and maximise the opportunities that the new decade brings for the future of housing and communities.

"Our publication launched today sets out how we will support political parties and all parliaments. We have high expectations of the next UK government and we hope they will join us to debate the fundamental issues that must be addressed to solve the chronic problems facing UK housing."

(CD/BMcC)