CECODHAS

CECODHAS - The European Liaison Committee for Social Housing

CECODHAS is the European network for the promotion of the right to decent housing for all. In our membership. It consists of 46 regional and national federations which together represent over 39.000 public, voluntary and cooperative social housing enterprises in 19 countries. Together they provide over 21 million homes across the European Union. CECODHAS is funded by membership fees.

Aims

  • To reinforce the European social model and promote the values, successes and the vital future role of members within that model;

  • To promote integrated approaches to sustainable urban development, stressing that the work of social housing providers is the backbone of social cohesion in European cities;

  • To protect fundamental rights and fight for quality social services, accessible to all.

Activities

CECODHAS canvasses and negotiates for strategic common interests on issues such as:

  • Structural Funds

  • Services of General Interest and State Aid

  • Public Procurement

  • Social inclusion

  • Energy efficiency

  • Urban sustainable development

It also builds and maintains relationships with:

  • European Ministers responsible for housing

  • European institutions

  • The European Parliament, in particular the ‘Urban-Housing’ intergroup

  • Social partners

  • European networks of local Authorities

  • International institutions such as: UNECE, Council of Europe, European Investment Bank

  • Cooperatives in Europe, European Housing Forum Social Platform of NGOs

Through its partners, it raises the profile of housing issues on the European agenda and develops projects and seminars to exchange best practices.

It supports and informs member organisations by:

  • monitoring and disseminating news on developments in European policies, programmes and legislation which matter for the social housing sector with our monthly e-newsletter;

  • communicating ideas, research and best practice through, publications, conferences and seminars.

  • providing easy access to policy papers, press releases, information on our members activities as well as publication and event listings at: www.cecodhas.org

It offers a platform for exchange and learning by:

  • Organising  bi-lateral and multi-lateral study visits and exchanges between Members to capitalize on existing know-how and identify common challenges on issues such as:

    • tenant empowerment

    • housing for special needs

    • mobility

    • urban renewal

  • Helping Members establish trans-national partnerships to access European funding
    programmes to work on areas such as:

    • Energy efficiency

    • Application of new technologies in social housing management

    • Social inclusion

    • Training

It acts as a gateway to data, knowledge and informed debate on Social Housing through the European Social Housing Observatory.

Structure

CECODHAS is managed by an Executive Committee, a body with one person from each of the Member States represented in CECODHAS. Policy formulation is carried out in Working Groups made up of member representatives and experts. Groups are divided by theme:

  • Urban affairs

  • Social Policies

  • Internal market

The CECODHAS secretariat, based in Brussels since 2000, is responsible for the coordination of the day-to-day running of the organisation. It is structured in three main departments; Policy Formulation and Lobbying, Communication and Research.