Housing

Congress views the right to housing as a fundamental and social right Ireland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and yet we are unable to house our people. The scale of emergency and the extent of human suffering caused by this major policy failure based on a surrender to the market and property developers needs to be recognised. In order to deliver this human right, Congress calls on Governments, North and South to act. In the Republic, as a matter of urgency, the Government has to: Set out a National and County level plan to deliver the largest housing programme in the history of the State. An immediate sharp increase in capital investment with the aim of reaching an annual output of 10,000 social (affordable) housing units per annum for the duration of the emergency Put in place, a new Commercial Funding Agency accountable to the Oireachtas, to provide a mix of supports for home owners and social rent Establish a Municipal Housing Authority to drive the national and county delivery plans. This agency should have the necessary ministerial/ legislative authority to: a) compulsorily purchase land/derelict housing stock; b) ensure proper building and procurement standards and c) hold Local Authorities to account for the housing delivery in each county. Implements immediately the Vacant Site Levy and develop emergency measures to regulate new vulture funds operating in the rental and property markets The Housing crisis in the North is equally bleak with 37,000 applicants waiting for social housing, 22,645 of whom are in housing stress. Compounding the political failure to deal with this crisis is the deliberate undermining of the one body (the Northern Ireland Housing Executive) that has the experience and capacity to impartially deliver housing policy based on objective need in a deeply divided society Congress calls on the Northern Ireland Executive toRecognise the crucial role of public housing provision and delivery as test of equality in public policy Support the retention of the Housing Executive as the single housing authority with strategic responsibility for housing delivery. Stop the Voluntary Stock Transfer programmeRemove the restrictions on the Housing Executives right to borrow so that it can build new (income-related affordable) homes on a scale that is suffi cient to deal with the crisis and repair/upgrade its existing properties.