With an election taking place on
December 12th, BMENational has called on all political parties to make key
commitments to support black and minority ethnic (BME) housing organisations
that work in some of the most disadvantaged parts of the country.
BME housing associations are
essential to help solve the housing crisis. They have played a huge role in
society, pushing issues of race and equality into the mainstream and changing
the housing landscape. However we know that BME households are still more
likely to experience overcrowding, poorer quality housing and fuel poverty.
They are also more likely to live in England’s most deprived neighbourhoods and
are less likely to own their home.
Commenting on the election the Chief
Executive of Arawak Walton Housing Association, and Chair of BME National, Cym
D’Souza said:
‘We are committed to delivering
homes and services to BME communities, but we need the support of political
parties addressing housing inequality.
We have identified four areas where Government action is urgently needed – ageing well, ending homelessness, equality of opportunity and thriving and diverse cities. We call upon all parties to commit to support our aims and help us work together in addressing the challenges faced in our communities’
BME National Mission Statement
BMENational calls on all
political parties to make the following commitments to support our communities:
Ageing well
Creating an environment where
older BME people can live healthy and fulfilled lives.
Income inequality puts older BME
people in a vulnerable position. They are less likely to have savings, less
likely to inherit from earlier generations and less likely to have occupational
pensions to support their retirement.
Ending homelessness
Ensuring people from BME backgrounds can access and sustain housing. We’re facing a homelessness crisis in England, and it’s disproportionately affecting BME people.
Equality of opportunity
We want to help people into
employment. Discrimination, unconscious bias and exclusion have held back the
potential of BME communities for too long.
Diverse and thriving cities
Investing in inner city areas to
facilitate social cohesion and create vibrant places to live in.
There are stark divisions in
prosperity and opportunity in many inner cities across the country, often where
BME communities are more likely to live.
Read the full
mission statement or get in touch with BMENational using the contact
details below.
About BME National:
BME National is a
collective of over 45 housing associations working in some of the most
disadvantaged parts of the country. Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) housing
associations were set up in the 1970s and now manage over 65,000 homes and act
under the auspices of the National Housing Federation, as well as collaborating
with the Federation to influence national housing policy, BME National also
provides a consultative and promotional platform for BME housing issues. BME National aims to highlight the
contribution BME housing associations make to successful, vibrant and
integrated communities while promoting equality and diversity in the delivery
of housing and support services.
About Arawak Walton Housing Association
Arawak Walton is the largest
independent black and minority ethnic (BME) housing association in the North
West. With its roots in the African Caribbean Community, the association
champions the provision of quality affordable homes and services in sustainable
multi-cultural neighbourhoods in and around Manchester.
With over 1100 homes in ownership and
management, its asset base is £65 million and turnover is in the region of £5
million.
Contact
For
additional information or comment, please contact Mushtaq Khan from BMENational
on Tel: 07970 591956 or email: info@bmenational.co.uk
or contact Cym D’Souza on
0161
272 6094 or email: contact@arawakwalton.com