The government is to give nearly £1bn to the North West to deliver about 7,500 new homes as part of plans to “build the country out of a housing crisis”.
A share of up to £10bn has been announced for councils and housing associations nationally in the first wave of government funding to boost “genuinely affordable homes”.
Greater Manchester has been given the largest share of the six mayoral areas to benefit from this round, with Liverpool City Region set to deliver 3,100 homes supported by £380m.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged the largest post-war council housebuilding programme to tackle severe shortages and homelessness, saying “no child should be raised in a hostel room”.
Nationally, almost 180,000 children are growing up without a permanent home, according to the government.
The Prime Minister said the cash will go to regional mayors, councils, housing associations and other providers, and will be spent on building “genuinely affordable homes”.
Around 60% of the more than 70,000 properties are expected to be social rent.
They will be in the first wave of Labour’s £39bn 10-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme, external.
The government said it aimed to help families “trapped in temporary accommodation or stuck on housing waiting lists’ into safe, secure homes”.