You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
NIHE warns Belfast councillors that housebuilding efforts will be hit by budget issues
The head of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) has warned councillors that its new-build home programme will fall “considerably short” of targets due to ongoing budget constraints.
Grainia Long, chief executive of the NIHE, told councillors from Belfast City Council this week that housing delivery had been “severely impacted” as a result of the “current budgetary environment” across government.
In an update, she said: “The proposed budget will have an adverse impact on housing output in 2024-25, particularly in the reduction in the number of new-build social homes we can commission across all council areas.”
READ MORE
In July, the NIHE said it expected its social housing development programme to deliver only 400 new homes in the current financial year, against a target of 2,000.
The organisation called it the “largest projected drop in social housing output of its kind in a generation, at a time when housing need is at its most acute”.
The warning came after the Department for Communities’ capital budget was cut by 38% in Northern Ireland’s budget in May.
Budgets for new-build social housing are set by the Northern Ireland Executive and the Department for Communities is responsible for the Social Housing Development Programme.
The NIHE is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Communities. It is Northern Ireland’s biggest social landlord, managing around 83,000 social homes.
Ms Long also told councillors that the NIHE may not be able to “fully fund” programmes such as homelessness prevention and the Affordable Warmth Scheme, which she described as “especially concerning”.
However, she said the NIHE will increase spending on its own housing stock this financial year, with £288m to be invested in around 25,000 homes. This compares with £209m spent last year on repairs and maintenance.
Earlier this month, the Chartered Institute of Housing Northern Ireland launched a report aimed at tackling the country’s housing and homelessness crisis.
Towards the end of August, the minister for communities in Northern Ireland paid tribute to frontline housing staff, following a rise in hate-crime incidents.
Speaking at a visit with NIHE staff in Antrim, Gordon Lyons praised their “courage and commitment” in light of the increase.
He said 22 hate-crime incidents were reported in the first week of August.
Mr Lyons said: “I commend our housing teams, including those in the housing executive, housing associations and supported people and homelessness providers, who continue to support tenants, including children and the most vulnerable in our society, to keep them safe from harm despite coming under threat themselves.”
Sign up for our Northern Ireland bulletin
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters
