Anyone passing the Stormont estate last night may have been confused to find a hive of activity – not a feature normally associated with the seat of devolved government in recent years.
The reason was not a fresh political crisis but a charity event to highlight a very real crisis affecting tens of thousands of people: homelessness.
Anyone living or working in our major towns and cities will be all too aware of the number of people sleeping rough each night in cold and damp doorways or alleys.
As well as those very visibly in need, the ‘One Big Sleep Out’ organised by the Simon Community at Stormont seeks to raise awareness of shocking levels of hidden homelessness, as growing numbers find themselves dependent on hostels or B&Bs, ‘sofa surfing’ in family or friends’ homes, or sleeping in their cars.
It warns that more than 55,000 people in Northern Ireland are officially classed as homeless – that’s one in every 34. The charity also believes a further 25,000 are struggling outside the system, with thousands of children growing up without a home.
Housing shortages and high rents have risen to the top of the political agenda in both Ireland and Britain, as authorities struggle to ensure enough new homes are built to meet demand.
After decades when thousands of social homes were being added to the stock annually, housebuilding fell to a 60-year low last year, with little more than 500 social houses among the 5,300 new homes completed.
The picture looks similar this year, despite record numbers languishing on the social housing waiting list – more than 47,000 households, including 35,000 deemed in ‘housing stress’.
There has been much discussion recently about the barriers facing house-builders, including a chronic need to upgrade creaking wastewater systems.
The executive’s programme for government, when it eventually arrived, did feature housing growth as one of its priorities, although it was woefully short on detail on how that will be achieved. By comparison, the new Labour government has promised 1.5 million new homes over the next five years in England and Wales.
It must be a hoped a draft housing supply strategy promised soon by communities minister Gordon Lyons will provide more answers.
This crisis has been years in the making and will require action by more than Mr Lyons’ department, with funding for NI Water falling under infrastructure minister John O’Dowd. It will be a crucial test of the ability of the executive parties to work together to find innovative solutions using the limited budgets available.
Having a safe roof over your head is a basic right and ensuring those needs are met is a measure of the competence of any government.
