AQW 11605/22-27


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 09/05/2024
Answered On Date: 03/06/2024
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities (i) for his assessment of the provision of temporary housing in the Causeway Coast and Glens area; (ii) to detail the impact on those who are temporarily housed a great distance away from their current area; and (iii) how he is supporting the Housing Executive to provide more temporary housing to prevent disruption to families and older people.


Answer:
The Housing Executive has statutory responsibility for responding to homelessness, including provision of homelessness accommodation. As such I have sought the requested information from the Chief Executive, who has advised me as follows:
“The table below details the number of temporary accommodation placements in the Causeway Coast and Glens over the past five years:
Year
Number of Placement in Temporary Accommodation
2018/19
113
2019/20
146
2020/21
467
2021/22
426
2022/23
550
The figures for 2023/24 will be available upon release of the next DfC Housing/Homelessness Bulletin which is scheduled for 23rd May 2024.
The Housing Executive will always endeavour to provide temporary accommodation that is close to the current area of the applicant.
The Housing Executive will consider factors such as the individual circumstances and the needs of a given Applicant and will take on board any representation made on behalf of the Applicant. The consideration of individual circumstances will include proximity to their current area.
Placements can be offered in emergency temporary accommodation that do not meet all of the relevant suitability factors. While an individual may feel the emergency temporary accommodation which has been made available is unreasonable, it should be noted that the Housing Executive can meet its homelessness duty by keeping an Applicant in accommodation that would not be suitable to occupy on a long term basis but it would not be unreasonable for the Applicant to occupy for a short period. This is while the Housing Executive continues to looks for a permanent housing solution, which can be a Housing Executive or Housing Association property, within their area of choice.
It should be noted that while the Housing Executive will endeavour to provide a placement that as far as possible, meets the needs of the respective household, there has been a sustained increase in demand for temporary accommodation.
In such circumstances, any provision of temporary accommodation will be dictated by availability on a given day.
The Housing Executive’s strategic approach to assisting those in temporary accommodation is supported by a Strategic Action Plan for Temporary Accommodation which can be found here https://www.nihe.gov.uk/getattachment/fd320853-cf6e-4403-908f-d0a0b7dbbaea/Temporary-Accommodation-Strategic-Action-Plan-2022-27.pdf
The Strategic Action Plan for Temporary Accommodation Year 2 Action Plan can be found here https://www.nihe.gov.uk/getattachment/e95603ed-bad9-47ca-90a2-1aef23659665/Year-2-Actions-Strategic-Action-Plan-for-Temporary-Accommodation-2022-27.pdf and contains actions that support the Housing Executive’s delivery of a sustainable supply of good quality, affordable temporary accommodation which is safe, warm and well managed.”