Call to Expand Social Housing Output

The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) the national representative body for non profit housing associations today has called on the Government today at its’ meeting of housing associations in Dublin to size the huge opportunity that is now present in the housing sector to increase the supply of social rented housing. ‘As well as providing the opportunity to house people from local authority waiting lists quicker, the provision of additional social housing will have significant benefits for employment levels in the construction sector and the economy as a whole’ Donal McManus, Executive Director of the ICSH explained.

The Government should utilise the surplus capacity in the residential construction sector for a major social gain in housing the most vulnerable while at the same time achieving value for money for the exchequer. Over 50 housing associations have met in Dublin today (2pm) to call the Government to ensure that the opportunity to provide additional social housing in the current climate would not be lost.

There were over 8000 new rented homes provided by local authorities and housing associations in the voluntary and co-operative sectors in 2007 rented to people on local authority waiting lists. Over 43,000 households were on local authority waiting lists assessed as being in housing need in the last official count in 2005. In the past year there has been a significant increase in the capacity of housing associations and local authorities to build more homes and it is important that there is a not a return to a stop start approach to providing social housing and all this increased momentum is not lost.

The single biggest opportunity now available is via housing developments provided by private developers known as ‘Part V’ developments where developers were required by local authorities to provide up to 20% of their housing development for social and affordable housing. ‘This legislation introduced in 2000 was very slow to translate into new social rented homes especially with various alternatives such as cash in lieu introduced. However, there is now currently a huge build up of these developments finally available for completion where commitments have been entered into between local authorities and developer to acquire the social housing’ Mr McManus added.

At the end of 2007 over 2000 new ‘Part V’ homes from developers were earmarked for social housing. ‘We may only get this one window of opportunity as indications in the short to medium term are that private sector housing output will not reach the previous unprecedented levels of 70-80,000 new homes per year, therefore, there will be much less opportunity for having social and affordable housing units in new housing developments, Mr. McManus forecasted.

There are tools at the Government disposal such as the state National Housing Finance Agency which could be utilised to a much greater level to finance these Part V developments now available.

There was also a call at the meeting on the Government in the provision of social housing to ensure the HSE provides the care supports for the homeless, older people and people with disabilities housed in social housing in the voluntary housing sector and avoid specialist housing projects being left built but left unoccupied.

Ends

For further information contact Donal McManus on 01 6618334 Donal McManus.

Media Notes:

• The Irish Council for Social Housing is the National Federation of social housing organisations with over 300 housing associations affiliated nationwide.
• Housing associations now provide over 20,000 homes for families, elderly, homeless people and people with disabilities.
• Housing associations build one in four of all new social rented housing and completed a record 1685 new homes for older people, the homeless, families and people with disabilities or 25% of all new social housing.
• The Irish Council for Social Housing is a member of the Community and Voluntary Pillar of Social Partnership.