Communities Minister Pledges To Revitalise The Housing Executive

NI Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín has pledged to revitalise the Housing Executive.

In a wide ranging statement to the Assembly she set out her plans to address the significant challenges facing Northern Ireland's housing system.

Over the last 18 years successive Executives have invested £2.3billion to build 30,000 new social houses. But, at the same time, the number of our households in housing stress has increased by 17,000. The Minister said it was time we faced up to the fact that change is needed if we are to ensure that every household has access to a good quality, affordable and sustainable home that is appropriate to its needs.

She said: "My ambition is to ensure that every household has access to a good quality, affordable and sustainable home that is appropriate to their needs. I have outlined my plans to address some of the most significant challenges. These are challenges that I will not shy away from. Everything I do will be focused on ensuring equality, focused on addressing the highest need and focused on fundamental transformation."

She outlined her intention to:

• Change the status of the landlord part of the Housing Executive so that it may borrow, invest in its homes and ultimately build again

• Consult on the Housing Executive's House Sales Scheme to protect the current supply of social housing

• Reintroduce ring-fencing of the new build Social Housing Development Programme (SHDP) to prioritise certain areas of highest housing need

• Introduce reform of the social housing allocations system

• Ensure the Housing Executive prioritise adaptations.

The Minister said: "I will revitalise the Housing Executive. The huge investment challenge facing the Housing Executive is a long-standing issue. I plan to change the classification of the Housing Executive landlord to a ‘mutual’ or co-operative designation so that it may borrow and secure a sustainable future for all of its 85, 000 homes and provides security for current tenants and future generations.

"We need to build more social homes, and we need to build them where they are needed. We need to sort out the long term future of the Housing Executive. We need to make sure it can repair its homes, regenerate its estates and start building again."

Turning to the Private rented sector the Minister added that she intends to introduce legislation to the Assembly to improve the safety, security and quality of the Private Rented sector. Key areas of reform include extending the notice to quit period, ensuring rent is fair and considering an enhanced role for councils in registration and enforcement.

Alliance's Alderman Amanda Grehan welcomed the announcement.

Alderman Grehan said: "This statement from Minister Ní Chuilín represents the biggest shake up of housing since the Housing Executive was formed in 1971 and is to be warmly welcomed.

"As a member of the Board of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, I am all too aware of the constraints under which the organisation has been working, while the numbers of those in housing stress or registered homeless increases year on year. Restrictions on the amount of finance available has led to the rapid deterioration of Housing Executive owned housing stock, meaning many tenants having to live in unsatisfactory conditions.

"I welcome the commitment from the Minister that the Housing Executive will be reorganised with a mutual arm able to borrow money so it can maintain existing housing stock and eventually start building new homes. There are currently almost 30,000 families on the waiting list with an average of just 1550 new social homes built each year. We urgently need to start bridging that gap.

"The private rented sector has an important role to play in housing families right across Northern Ireland and I welcome the Minister’s aim to improve the safety, security and quality of this sector.

"Several years ago the Minister’s Department carried out a Fundamental Review of Social Housing Allocations, and the Minister has now said that she will publish an action plan for implementing changes, with a particular focus on intimidation points. This is an important area and I welcome this review."