Housing Rights submitted our response to the draft Programme for Government 2024-2027. We welcomed the positive inclusion, for the very first time, of a housing priority.
At this vital juncture, we also think there are opportunities to set the housing sector on the right course by strengthening the priority and providing the platform for a focused, whole-system approach to solving the housing crisis.
- the Northern Ireland Executive should stay the course with an outcomes-based approach.
- the housing priority would benefit by committing to ensuring every household has access to a good quality, affordable and sustainable home that is appropriate for its needs.
- homeless prevention efforts could be strengthened by exploring a statutory duty to cooperate on relevant authorities to prevent and alleviate homelessness.
- homeless prevention should be accurately measured
- the housing sector needs clarity on translating priorities into resourced plans.
- the PfG would benefit from a stronger focus on co-design
- the housing priority should commit to legislation to reform the Private Rented Sector and minimum housing standards
- to support the Fuel Poverty Strategy, the housing priority should commit to setting out plans to deliver a Just Transition across all housing tenures.
- housing plays a central role in reducing poverty. Accordingly, the Programme for Government should include a specific priority to eradicate poverty.