Housing Minister, Paul Givan MLA, today (30th June) increased the budget for the Social Housing Development Programme and challenged housing associations to start work on 1,600 new social homes this year.
The figure represents an increase on the 2015/16 target of 1,500 new starts and the Minister confirmed the plans at his first appearance to the Committee for Communities.
Michael McDonnell, Chief Executive of Choice Housing Association welcomed the announcement. He said:
“The additional budget from the Department for Communities is good news for Northern Ireland and the 40,000 people who are on the waiting list for suitable social homes. Starting work on 1,600 homes this year will be a challenge for a housing association movement, but Choice and others have already been carefully resourcing and accelerating our development plans. We have secured impressive new investment that will ensure each penny from the public purse goes further and we will be ambitious in our efforts to meet acute housing need.
“Housing associations are among the most successful social enterprises in Northern Ireland and are uniquely equipped to leverage private finance for the creation of new social homes and the delivery of high quality care and living standards for our most vulnerable. We support the Minister’s vision to change the lives of individuals and communities across Northern Ireland. I am confident of the significant contribution that we will make in partnership with the Department for Communities, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, local government and the private sector to meet housing need in the year ahead.”
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