top of page

Citizens' Forum on Housing - November 2024

Citizens' Forum on Housing - November 2024


In November Emma led in the delivery of the Citizens' Forum on Housing, a civic-led citizens' assembly that involved 100 Citizens being recruited via a postal lottery system.


The Citizens’ Forum on Housing deliberated across three days to design and ratify a range of recommendations alongside a vision for housing which will be delivered to the Northern Ireland Assembly, UK and Irish governments.


Members of the public were recruited by UK-based NGO Sortition Foundation, who promote the empowered use of citizens’ assemblies to form the Citizens' Forum on Housing. 25,000 letters of invitation were posted to households across Northern Ireland. Participants were then selected to be largely representative of Northern Ireland by age, gender, ethnicity, religion, and geographical spread. Those taking part have not participated in a similar process before.


Their recommendations, and the pass percentage, included: 


  • Legislate to allow NIHE to borrow and access private finance to build more homes (96%) Local Authorities to identify commercial property in city centres to repurpose for residential use within 12 months. Begin repurpose process within 18 months (87%)

  • Demolish properties deemed unfit for human habitation that cannot be redeveloped or refurbished within 18 months (88%) Enforce a requirement that all new builds are to be built to ‘Part L’ (energy efficiency) of building regs to ensure highest level of insulation, efficiency and affordability (88%)

  • Seek cross-border investment from the Irish government to improve water infrastructure in Northern Ireland (85%) Reform Stormont so that no one party can collapse the government (92%)


Members of the Citizens’ Forum on Housing heard testimony and evidence from a wide range of speakers including but not limited to; Mark Spence, Chief Executive, Construction Employers Federation (CEF), Grainia Long, Chief Executive, Housing Executive, Justin Cartwright, National Director, Chartered Institute of Housing Northern Ireland (CIH), Professor Paddy Gray, Professor Martin Haran, Professor Rory Hearne, and organisations including Housing Rights, Homeless Connect, Involve, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Participation and Practice of Rights (PPR), Renters’ Voice, and CATU.

Following the successful conclusion of the Forum Emma said, "Members of the Citizens' Forum on Housing have demonstrated the effectiveness of citizens assemblies. Taking on a complex policy area and working collaboratively to find practical solutions, they have demonstrated huge capacity and a potential that is currently untapped in Northern Ireland. Seeing first-hand their commitment to the process, each other, and the responsibility they felt to the wider public, has been a great privilege."







Comments


bottom of page