Seventeen new housing association homes have been completed in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough between March and August, councillors have been told.
Seamus Leheny, chief executive, of the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations, was providing an update to the borough council, at a meeting in Mossley Mill, on Monday evening.
Mr Leheny said:
“We are seeing a lot of pressure in Antrim and Newtownabbey, pressure on category one properties aimed at people over 55 years.”
He also reported “significant cost” for property adaptations such as downstairs bathrooms.
He indicated there are approximately 2,300 housing association homes in Antrim and Newtownabbey provided by 13 housing associations. Of these, 34 per cent are occupied by single adults, 39 per cent are two-bedroom, 25 per cent, three-bedroom and two per cent, four-bedroom.
He noted there are 285 units under construction in the borough and 302 programmed to start. However, he said 65 per cent of housing which had been expected to commence construction is “now deemed financially unviable”.
“We simply do not have enough money. The budget has been reduced by 70 per cent.”
The Federation aims to deliver 2,000 new homes in Northern Ireland annually. Mr Leheny went on to say the organisation has received 1,700 new applications for housing during the first six months of this year.
“We are not building enough homes in Northern Ireland,” he stated.
Threemilewater DUP Councillor Mark Cooper, who is chair of the Northern Ireland Housing Council, said: “The housing crisis has just not happened in 2024. The last ten years has been heading towards this.”
Party colleague Antrim DUP Cllr Paul Dunlop BEM commented: “There seems to be a consensus that housing associations will not consider adaptations.”
Mr Leheny indicated it is “not just a housing association decision” but it involves the Housing Executive and occupational therapy health departments.
Ballyclare DUP Cllr Jeannie Archibald-Brown highlighted the cost of rent for some housing association new-build properties, which she described, as “significantly more expensive”.
She went on to say her own mortgage is “cheaper than some social housing rents”.
“People are getting into debt to rent a home for their family,” she said.
Mr Leheny explained: “Housing associations will be more expensive due to having loans to repay.”
He also pointed out 80 per cent of tenants have rent covered through benefits.