In December 2005, the Government launched a new Housing Policy Framework: Building Sustainable Communities which outlines key principles underpinning housing policy and investment over coming years. The framework sets out an important programme of investment and reform to address the key policy challenges highlighted by the NESC report on housing and takes account of the results of the 2005 housing needs assessment and the work of the housing forum in relation to the effectiveness of social and affordable housing provision.
The framework builds on progress to date and proposes an integrated approach to housing in Ireland for the 21st century. It firmly places housing policy in the context of building sustainable communities, with a focus on continual improvement of the quality of housing and neighbourhoods.
As a result of extra capital provision in budget 2006, substantial increased investment in social and affordable housing is outlined in the framework. This will allow for some 23,000 new social homes to be commenced between 2006 and 2008 and 15,000 affordable homes to be delivered. In total, 50,000 households will benefit over the coming three years from an Exchequer capital investment package of close to €4 billion. Allied to this, a package of reforms is proposed to improve equity, efficiency and effectiveness. The focus is on improving community participation, improving services to ensure personal choice, autonomy and responsibility.
The framework focuses on policies to ensure an effective private housing market; increasing social housing provision, and its quality; reforming the social housing sector; improving pathways to homeownership. A further policy statement will be published during the course of this year which will set out more detailed approaches to these issues.