The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Inside Housing magazine have today launched a joint campaign to raise the profile of housing in the run-up to the Westminster general election.

Called House Proud – Making the Case for Housing – the campaign will emphasise the ways in which good housing contributes to wider agendas such as health, education and crime.

Sarah Webb, CIH Chief Executive said: "Over the past decade, we can be proud of the excellent progress we have made in transforming homes, communities and lives across the UK. But we’ve only been able to achieve this with the support of government, and through our collective efforts to work far beyond a narrow bricks and mortar remit - directly supporting improvements in areas such as health and educational achievement.

"The next decade is less certain and whichever Government enters office in 2010, they will have some big decisions to make on public expenditure and priorities. The launch of the House Proud Campaign gives us all an opportunity to remind everyone - politicians, civil servants, homeowners, tenants, residents, funders, housing professionals, the media, business – both of the absolute need to maintain housing as a priority and of the essential contribution to wider social policy agendas that housing makes.

"I hope you will support this campaign – helping to send a strong, unified message from the housing sector to our next Government – good housing is an essential ingredient for economic prosperity, healthy and safe communities, educational achievement and social mobility – we ignore it at our peril."

*ENDS*

News release issued on behalf of the CIH by Jill Dwyer, CIH Press Office, Octavia House, Westwood Way, Coventry CV4 8JP. Telephone: 02476 851780 or 07786 716961. Email: press@cih.org.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) is the professional body for people involved in housing and communities. We are a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation. We have a diverse and growing membership of over 22,000 – both in the public and private sectors – living and working in over 20 countries on five continents across the world. Our members work for local authorities, housing associations, Arms Length Management Organisations, Government bodies, educational establishments and the private sector. Many tenants and residents are also members. We exist to maximise the contribution that housing professionals make to the wellbeing of communities. Further information is available at: www.cih.org 

2. The latest news from the House Proud campaign can be found at: www.insidehousing.co.uk/houseproud