Hoping that it will get her out of having to write a blog for the website, Alison Inman speaks at the Chartered Institute for Housing South East conference.

As well as campaigning to build more social housing and value that we've already got, one of the goals of the SHOUT campaign is to challenge negative stereotypes of tenants, and here Alison outlines why it's important.

Continuing a welcome trend, the SHOUT campaign has been backed by another local authority - this time Lewisham London Borough Council. Their motion seeks to "maximise the supply of social housing" and use "housing suply to stimulate economic growth".

Read more to see the full detail of the Lewisham press release...

Nottingham City Council have joined the growing number of local councils to pass an amendment that notes the value of homes in which people can afford to live.

As private rents and unmanageable 'affordable' rents grow increasingly out of reach of many people and in the absence of any coherent national policy from any political party to address the housing crisis, the involvement of local authorities in committing to local homes people can afford to live in becomes ever more important.

Nottingham City Council has committed:

To consider a motion in the name of Councillor Liversidge

Founding SHOUT member Steve Hilditch writes at Red Brick on significant loss of social rented housing in recent years.

Latest figures released by the CIH show that in 2012-13 the stock of social rented homes in England fell by 19,189. In 2013-14 this figure more than doubled to 43,850. The loss over two years of over 63,000 homes compares with additions to the social rented stock (eg through new build) of a mere 28,000 homes.

"It is hard to exaggerate what a disaster this is for housing in England" writes Steve. You can read the full blog here.

Writing in a piece on 24Dash.com, John Perry of the Chartered Institute for Housing explains that data in the forthcoming UK Housing Review 2015 shows that the rate at which homes for social rent are being lost has increased year-on-year. During 2013, 19,189 homes were lost to social rent, but during 2014, this had escalated rapidly to 43,850 homes.

As increased discounts for Right To Buy erode the stock held by Local Authorities, Housing Associations are losing genuine social rents through conversions to the Affordable Rent model.

At a time when government grant has been completely removed for the construction of genuine social housing, John highlights that 17,000 homes have been lost to Local Authorities through Right To Buy, and as a result of the Affordable Homes Policy, are only being replaced with homes let at higher 'affordable' rents.

Over the lifetime of the current AHP, 2011-2015, the report reveals that 75,000 homes have been lost to social rents. Outside London, the increase in rents averages out at an additional third - often met through the housing benefit bill, and inside London the premium for conversion to 'affordable' rent is an additional two thirds.

John's Commentary on the report, and a call for the government to include social housing in any strategic plans for housebuilding can be read here at 24Dash, and more information from the report is available in a piece on The Guardian covering the original CIH announcement.

Tim Morton of SHOUT spoke at the London Labour Housing Group Conference ‘2015 – the Housing Election?’ – in Paddington on Saturday 25 October. This is what he said.

The Lyons Review is a thorough and very convincing analysis of the reasons for the housing crisis and sets out a set of very well thought through proposals to ensure all Government’s policy levers contribute to pushing the development of new homes closer to the levels required. SHOUT strongly welcomes the depth and quality of the review’s evidence and analysis on a number of key topics, notably:

12 November was Housing Day. Here, SHOUT's Colin Wiles comments on a new Policy Exchange report that was published on the day.

Sheffield City Council is the latest local authority to pass a resolution supporting SHOUT. Can you get your Council to support?

Gateshead Council passes resolution supporting the SHOUT campaign, joining Cambridge. It would be great if more Councils did the same.