Tackling the housing crisis together - CIH responds to Coming Home report

Large proportions of our society are currently facing a housing crisis, and COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns has shown the difficult situation many face. Thousands of individuals and families have spent the pandemic living in inadequate housing and poor conditions.

In response to this crisis, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York commissioned the 'Coming Home' report, setting out vital actions for the church, government and other stakeholders to take with a focus on building better communities and more truly affordable homes, not just houses.

Responding to the report, CIH chief executive Gavin Smart said:

"The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of good quality, safe, affordable, spacious homes with access to safe greenspace to enable individuals and families to live, work, learn, rest and play  - yet we know too many people lack a decent, safe, secure and affordable home. We can and should be aspiring to create better homes for our communities.

"The recommendations in Coming Home give us a clear and useful roadmap to help us get to where we need to. We must build many more genuinely affordable homes than we are currently building, but we also need to make sure that our existing housing stock is in a safe and good condition to be certain these homes are fit for the future. 

"A long-term housing strategy backed by realistic help with housing costs for people on low incomes is integral to ensuring that every individual in every community has a place to call home."