The Summary of Social Housing Assessments 2013 identified 89,872 households assessed by local housing authorities as being eligible and in need of some form of social housing support, and these results are the most up-to-date figures available on the number of households qualified for support. However, in order to get the most accurate data relating to the numbers applying for social housing support, the Government's Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in November 2014, includes a commitment to increase the regularity of the summary of social housing assessments by undertaking it on annual basis from 2016 onwards.
The 2013 Summary results were analysed by the Housing Agency and on the basis of the certain assumptions and having regard to housing support mechanisms including the roll-out of the Housing Assistance Payment, a requirement was identified for an additional 35,000 properties for social housing.
The targeted provision in the Social Housing Strategy of over 110,000 social housing units to 2020, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, will address the needs of the 90,000 households on the housing waiting list in full, with flexibility to meet potential future demand.
The Strategy will be delivered in two phases. Phase 1 targets the delivery of 18,000 additional housing units and 32,400 Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) units, by the end of 2017. In phase 2, spanning the years 2018 to 2020, the strategy targets the delivery of 17,000 additional units and 43,000 Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) units. In addition, the implementation of the range of actions under Construction 2020 will support increased supply in the wider housing market.
Earlier this year my Department requested and received proposals from all local authorities on their planned delivery of new social housing units out to 2017. In that context, on 5 May I announced the first phase of a major social housing construction investment programme, with a value of €312 million, covering all 31 local authorities and with over 1,700 housing units to be built across some 100 separate projects.
Local authorities are responsible for the detailed planning of social housing provision based on the needs of their areas. It is a matter for each local authority to identify the appropriate initiatives to respond to their housing need, including consideration by them of options in respect of new building developments, property acquisition, leasing and the provision of housing supports through the private rental sector.
