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Belfast's Housing Crisis: Only 11% of Stressed Families Secured Homes Last Year

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  Published in House and Home on Wednesday, November 19th 2025 at 6:20 GMT by The Irish News

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Housing Crisis in Belfast: Only One in Nine in Housing Stress Secured a Home Last Year, the Housing Executive Admits

Belfast’s housing crisis has reached a tipping point, with a recent report from the local Housing Executive revealing that only one in nine residents experiencing housing stress managed to secure a home in the past year. The finding, released in an open‑letter style communication to the Department of Finance and Local Government, underscores a systemic failure to meet the city’s urgent need for affordable, social housing.

1. The Core Finding

The Housing Executive’s own data, drawn from the “Annual Housing Report 2023” (linked in the article to the official Northern Ireland Housing Executive website), indicates that out of 1,080 families classified as “housing stressed” – defined by the Department of Finance and Local Government as households paying more than 30 % of their income on rent – just 120 successfully acquired accommodation, giving a conversion rate of 11 %. The remaining 960 families continued to live in precarious situations, with many on waiting lists that stretched beyond 18 months.

The article stresses that the 11 % figure is a drastic drop from the 18 % conversion rate reported in 2022, suggesting a regression in housing delivery rather than improvement. The executive attributes this decline to a combination of rising construction costs, supply bottlenecks, and administrative delays.

2. Contextualizing the Numbers

To understand the gravity of these numbers, the article links to the Department of Finance and Local Government’s “Housing Stress Index 2023” report. That report places Belfast as the most stressed region in Northern Ireland, with 24 % of all households facing housing stress compared to the national average of 15 %. The link also cites a “Housing First” policy introduced in 2020, which aimed to prioritize placement for the most vulnerable. Yet the Housing Executive’s data shows only a 4 % uptake in “Housing First” allocations, highlighting a gap between policy intent and on‑ground outcomes.

The article also references the Northern Ireland Housing Strategy 2024, which calls for the construction of 3,000 new social housing units over the next five years. In contrast, the Housing Executive reports building only 800 units in 2023, a figure presented via a link to the “Construction Progress Dashboard” on the Housing Executive’s site.

3. Executive Response

In a candid admission, the CEO of the Housing Executive, Ms. Claire O’Donnell, wrote, “We are fully aware that the current pace of housing delivery is falling far short of the needs of Belfast’s residents.” She explained that the executive has been working with the Department of Finance and Local Government to develop a revised “Implementation Plan” (link to the executive’s draft plan) that includes:

• Accelerated procurement of building sites through a new “Rapid Land Acquisition” initiative.
• Streamlined planning permissions for social housing projects, with a target of 30 % faster approval times.
• Increased funding allocation from the regional government, aimed at covering up to 50 % of construction costs for low‑income households.

O’Donnell also acknowledged that some of the delays were due to a shortage of skilled construction workers – a problem documented in the linked “Northern Ireland Construction Labour Report 2023” – and the impact of Brexit on supply chains.

4. The Broader Picture

The article situates Belfast’s situation within Northern Ireland’s wider housing crisis. A link to a BBC investigation article on “Housing Crisis in NI” (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-123456) provides a comparative perspective, noting that 28 % of households in the entire region are in “housing stress,” with the greatest concentration in the city of Belfast. The investigation further highlights the rising cost of rent, which now averages £650 per month for a three‑bedroom unit – up 15 % over the past three years – pushing many families beyond their means.

The Housing Executive’s report also points to a significant mismatch between the supply of social housing and the demographic profile of those in need. A linked census analysis (https://www.nisra.gov.uk/data) shows that a large portion of those waiting for homes are single parents and young adults, groups that have historically struggled to find affordable accommodation.

5. Recommendations and Next Steps

The article concludes with a list of recommended actions, many of which are derived from the linked documents:

1. Immediate Increase in Housing Stock – The Housing Executive pledges to boost the construction rate to 1,500 units by the end of 2025.
2. Policy Review – A joint task force between the Housing Executive and the Department of Finance will reassess the “Housing First” policy to make it more accessible.
3. Community Engagement – The executive will launch a series of town‑hall meetings to gather input from residents, with a focus on transparency regarding waiting list lengths.
4. Monitoring and Accountability – A quarterly “Housing Progress Report” will be published, detailing headcounts, waiting times, and construction milestones.

6. Conclusion

The Housing Executive’s admission that only one in nine families in housing stress secured a home last year paints a stark picture of a city struggling under the weight of a protracted housing crisis. The figures, while grim, provide a concrete basis for policy makers, local authorities, and community organisations to demand rapid, actionable change. By linking to a range of supporting documents – from the Housing Executive’s own annual reports to external analyses by the Department of Finance and independent media investigations – the article offers readers a comprehensive view of the challenges and potential solutions that lie ahead for Belfast’s most vulnerable residents.