Housing should be a made a human right in the same way as education and health, the mayor of Greater Manchester has said today.
In a letter to the leaders of all three main political parties, Andy Burnham warned radical action is needed to tackle homelessness and the housing crisis.
He is calling for combined and local authorities to have new powers and freedoms to intervene in the housing markets and build homes for social rent.
Mr Burnham said: ‘Here in Greater Manchester, there is no shortage of passion and determination to do something to help. But that urgently needs to be matched by people in Parliament and Government showing the same. We cannot allow the intricacies of Brexit to divert us from the humanitarian crisis unfolding on our own streets.
‘Any night spent on the streets causes immense damage to people’s physical and mental health. Housing is a health issue and in this, the 70th anniversary year of the National Health Service, what better way of marking than by extending the right to healthcare to safe housing.’
Mr Burnham has re-committed to ending rough sleeping in Greater Manchester by 2020.
