Reverse approach to social housing needed, says SVP

An over-reliance on rent supplement and housing assistance payments to low-income families is not a lasting solution to the housing and homelessness crisis, the St Vincent De Paul (SVP) has said.

At the announcement of its pre-budget submission, SVP said the approach to social housing must be entirely reversed.

The Social Housing Strategy 2020 was compiled by former environment minister Alan Kelly and outlined that 70% of social housing needs should be met through rent supplement and housing assistance payments to those renting in the private market. Local authority social housing units would then meet the remaining 30% of demand.

However, SVP said this relationship should be swapped around to ensure local authority housing builds and acquisitions meet 70% of social housing needs. It said rent supplement to private sector tenants should only make up 30% of government commitments.

Speaking yesterday at the submission launch, Caroline Fahey of the SVP said the focus on supplementary and assistance payments to private renters is the wrong approach: “Really we need to return to the build and acquisition of local authority housing if we are going to address the housing crisis.”

Criticising the existing policy preference for rent supplements, she said: “We’re proposing that that should be reversed and 70% of social housing need should be met through proper social housing units which will provide people with a secure and suitable home in local authority housing or in housing provided by approved bodies.”

The funding issues facing the Government in tackling the supply problem for social housing units will only worsen, SVP representative John-Mark McCafferty said.