Response to Programme for Government consultation

Supporting Communities' response to the Draft Programme for Government is now available in full online.

The response emphasises the need for including separate housing related outcomes and clarification of the concept of 'suitable housing'. It makes recommendations for actions going forward around tackling homelessness, meeting NI's investment need in housing stock, ending fuel poverty, and creating safe, sustainable communities. Public bodies and other agencies must work together and collaboratively to secure the best outcomes for social housing tenants with a further commitment to improving services and standards in the private rented sector.

Our response shows how access to good quality, affordable and warm housing is a cornerstone of any attempt to improve the wellbeing of all our citizens and ask that government commits to arresting the decline in available affordable housing through greatly increased investment in the public and social sectors. In particular, the government should fully support the efforts of the Housing Executive to secure the necessary finance to fully implement its Housing Investment Strategy. This should be the cornerstone of the PfG.

Read the full text of the response.