Social housing delivery more than a third short of target in 2020

Delivery of social housing fell more than a third short of target last year, while housing delivery overall fell by just 20 per cent, despite some social housing construction continuing during lockdown.

Figures published by the Department of Housing on Tuesday show 6,387 new social homes were either built (5,073) or acquired (1,314) in 2020 – 34 per cent short of the 8,536 target set by the department.

In contrast, the target of 25,000 new homes delivered was missed by just 5,000 – or 20 per cent.

The overall target for 2020 was to provide 27,517 “social housing solutions”. As well as new builds and acquisitions, these would include long-term leasing of private dwellings for social tenants, including for those availing of Housing Assistance Payments (HAP), where the State pays most of the rent to private landlords, and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), where local authorities rent dwellings and let them to social tenants.

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In the end 24,625 – 11 per cent shy of target – were provided. HAP and RAS arrangements exceeded targets. Where 15,750 new HAP tenancies were planned, 15,885 were set up. In all, 600 RAS arrangements were targeted and 913 set up.

The figures indicate how "overly skewed" the Government's social housing plan is to "the private sector" said Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin, adding HAP and RAS were not secure tenancies.

In need of support

The department also published its 2020 summary of social housing assessment (SSHA), which shows 61,880 households were assessed as “in need of social housing support” in November 2020, a nine per cent decrease on the 68,693 households in June 2019.

However, given that households in need of social housing support who were placed in HAP tenancies were removed from the main housing list, Mr Ó Broin said the apparent decrease was misleading.

“At the end of November 2020, there were 59,225 active HAP tenancies. At the end of June 2019 there were 48,070. That’s an increase of 11,115 during the period of the SSHA review.

“So despite an extra 6,387 social houses, the net position is an increase of 4,302 households in need of social housing supports.”

Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien said, however, "These results are evidence that Government investment in the suite of social housing support initiatives is working. Just under 25,000 households had their housing needs met last year and Budget 2021 has made available €3.3 billion for housing delivery programmes.

“This investment will deliver 12,750 new social homes, the largest social housing delivery programme in the history of the State. The numbers we see published today are evidence of the real and positive impact this delivery is having on the people who need our help the most.”

Responding to Mr Ó Broin, the department said: “As part of the first Level 5 restrictions issued in March 2020, all construction sites, both private and social, ceased activity for approximately seven weeks from March 27th-May 18th 2020.

"On April 7th, a designation process was instigated which only allowed for a number of social housing developments to resume work as designated essential projects subject to meeting certain criteria. The designation process was managed by the Housing Agency on behalf of the department and the Housing Agency.

“The closure of the majority of sites at this time had an adverse effect on the delivery pipeline for social housing. There was a significant number of projects scheduled for delivery in quarter 4, which were delayed until 2021. Overall output of social housing was over 70 per cent of the target.”