A COLLECTIVE MOVEMENT FOR HOUSING JUSTICE IN MANCHESTER

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Who we are

We are a coalition of community associations, charities, think tanks, academics and social justice organisations focused on accelerating the number of social homes that are created in Manchester by 2030 and ensuring this is done in an environmentally sustainable way.

We are calling on Manchester City Council to commit to enacting six key proposals in conjunction with the new Local Plan to ensure a long-term commitment to addressing the housing crisis. Click here to find out more about our proposals.

Latest News

In addition to the blogs below, you can explore the reports and publications of the Manchester Social Housing Commission, its media coverage and consultation submissions.

Neighbourhood Planning in Hulme

Social Homes for Manchester (SH4M) has been supporting a process in Hulme to explore the possibility of creating a Neighbourhood Plan for the area. Neighbourhood Plans (NP) give communities power to influence what gets built in their area, how the buildings are designed and where they are sited. This is a good fit with the aims of SH4M, which are to see more community control over planning, and in particular, more housing that meets local need in terms of size, environmental

Jul 3

It’s Time for a Social Rent Revolution!

A packed Council Chamber hears testimonies from Manchester residents The winds of political change were felt through the Council Chamber at Manchester Town Hall on Friday afternoon as the Manchester Social Housing Commission launched their final report and recommendations to a room of over 100 housing and planning professionals, councillors, officers, housing activists, residents and communities. You can watch clips of different sections of the event using the links at the bo

May 18

It's Time for a Social Rent Revolution: Launch of Commission Recommendations

Today we launch the final report and recommendations of the Manchester Social Housing Commission (July 2024 - December 2025). The Commission brought together social housing tenants, grassroots community organisations, senior public and voluntary sector leaders, housing and planning professionals, academics, housing campaigners, politicians and officers at Manchester City Council for a shared purpose: to achieve accelerated delivery of ecologically sustainable housing for soci

May 15

Photo of a full community hall, decked with bunting, listening to a speaker facing the audience at the front

Community Powered Neighbourhoods

Over 70 residents, community leaders, council officers and public provider stakeholders attended the amazing #CommunityPoweredNeighbourhoods event on 17 March 2026 cocreated by Wythenshawe Central Network, Social Homes for Manchester (SH4M) and the We’re Right Here campaign as part of this years’ #GMLiveWellFestival. It was an absolutely brilliant day full of excitement, hope, innovative ideas and grassroots solidarity! We were welcomed by John Hopkins Co-Chair of Wythenshawe

Mar 17

New report calls for community-led housing to help tackle Manchester’s social housing crisis

The fourth and final policy brief from the Manchester Social Housing Commission explores alternative models for social rent.

Mar 17

POLICY BRIEF 3: Empowering tenants to unlock decent, healthy and safe homes

Our Latest Policy Brief - Empowering tenants to unlock decent, healthy and safe homes, was launched on Fridayat our 'Decent Homes for All' event at Ascension Church in Hulme.

Nov 24, 2025