Building on existing commitments to deliver homes

CIH Cymru congratulates Eluned Morgan on her appointment as first minister of Wales. We look forward to working with the new first minister and her minister for housing as they build on the existing commitments to improving and delivering new homes in Wales. Including working towards our shared ambition of building 20,000 new low carbon homes at social rent during this Senedd term, retrofitting our existing homes as part of meeting net zero targets and tackling fuel poverty, the  commitment to new homelessness legislation as part of tackling Wales’ housing crisis, new legislation on building safety and proposals to reform the planning system in Wales.

Yet despite these positives, we believe that now is the time to go further by making housing the foundational mission for government essential to delivering an equitable Wales, a Wales where everyone can access a safe, affordable, and sustainable home. Our five point plan for housing sets out how this can be achieved:

• Enshrine the right to adequate housing into Welsh law
• An ongoing commitment to long-term capital investment to build more affordable homes and retrofit existing ones
• Support growing skills needed through a sector workforce strategy
• Develop a clear vision and strategy for the private rented sector
• Address social housing stigma and promote the positive impact of diverse communities.

We believe that now is the time for government to be ambitious and make housing the foundational mission to deliver an equitable Wales for a fairer future for Wales.

Matt Dicks, national director of CIH Cymru said:

“I would like to extend my congratulations to Eluned Morgan on her election as first minister of Wales. I look forward to continuing our collaborative relationship with Welsh government. Now is the time to be ambitious and radical by making housing a foundational mission for government, by legislating for the incorporation of the right to adequate housing into Welsh laws. This right will not only provide a route map to a safe, sustainable, and affordable home for the people of Wales it will also improve health and wellbeing outcomes. Enshrining the right to adequate housing can only benefit Wales and help deliver an equitable Wales. A Wales where everyone has enough money to live on. A Wales where everyone can afford the essentials. A Wales where child poverty is eradicated. A Wales where everyone can access a safe, affordable, and sustainable home.”