Building and Social Housing Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Building and Social Housing Foundation (BSHF) is an independent housing research charity, with work that covers a broad range of issues around housing. It was established in 1976 and is based in Coalville
in Leicestershire
in the United Kingdom
, but does work internationally. In 2006 it was granted Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
http://esa.un.org/coordination/ngo/new/index.asp?page=viewOrg&nr=2346.
It has subsequently published extensively on the UK's system of support with housing costs, including a publication called Support with Housing Costs: Developing a simplified and sustainable system. This work was timely, coinciding with a renewed governmental focus on the subject, heralded in particular in the June 2010 United Kingdom budget
. BSHF published Housing Benefit and the Emergency Budget of June 2010: A summary of measures with analysis in response to the budget.
Notable reports previous work by the organisation has included reports on:
.
Coalville
Coalville is a town in North West Leicestershire, England, with a population estimated in 2003 to be almost 33,000. It is situated on the A511 trunk road between Leicester and Burton upon Trent, close to junction 22 of the M1 motorway where the A511 meets the A50 between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and...
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, but does work internationally. In 2006 it was granted Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
http://esa.un.org/coordination/ngo/new/index.asp?page=viewOrg&nr=2346.
UK housing policy and practice
Part of BSHF's work is research into housing in the UK. In 2009 it published a substantial review of the UK housing system as a whole, under the title The Future of Housing: Rethinking the UK housing system for the twenty-first century.It has subsequently published extensively on the UK's system of support with housing costs, including a publication called Support with Housing Costs: Developing a simplified and sustainable system. This work was timely, coinciding with a renewed governmental focus on the subject, heralded in particular in the June 2010 United Kingdom budget
June 2010 United Kingdom Budget
The June 2010 United Kingdom Budget, officially known as 2010 Budget - Responsibility, freedom, fairness: a five year plan to re-build the economy, was delivered by George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the House of Commons in his budget speech that commenced at about 12.30 p.m on Tuesday...
. BSHF published Housing Benefit and the Emergency Budget of June 2010: A summary of measures with analysis in response to the budget.
Notable reports previous work by the organisation has included reports on:
- Gypsy and Traveller accommodation
- refugee housing
- community land trustCommunity land trustA community land trust is a nonprofit corporation which acquires and manages land on behalf of the residents of a place-based community, while preserving affordability and preventing foreclosures for any housing located upon its land.-Key features:...
s http://www.bshf.org/published-information/publication.cfm?lang=00&thePubID=111 - bringing empty homes back into use
World Habitat Awards
BSHF is responsible for the prestigious World Habitat Awards, which are presented to winning projects at the annual UN-HABITAT global celebration of World Habitat DayWorld Habitat Day
World Habitat Day is observed every year on the first Monday of October throughout the world. It was officially designated by the United Nations and first celebrated in 1986. The purpose of the day is to reflect on the state of our cities and towns and the basic human right to adequate shelter...
.