Challenges facing Housing Associations
Challenges include:
- Producing enough social housing in the specific areas where the Housing Executive confirms it is needed.
The challenge has many aspects including the need to:
- buy land at prices low enough to permit the development of schemes satisfying the government's value for money criteria
- secure planning consent within a reasonable time-frame; and
- meet the many other requirements laid down by the DSD.
- Responding positively to the government's forthcoming strategy for procuring social housing. The strategy may imply that associations should form alliances or merge.
- Provide housing management services which satisfy rising tenant expectations while still meeting the demanding efficiency targets set by the government
- Making housing association homes and neighbourhoods more environmentally sustainable.
- Enhancing tenants' life chances and the long-term value of their property by promoting the social inclusion of residents and the prospertity of their neighbourhoods.
- Improving the public image of social housing and dispelling misunderstandings about supported housing for some client groups.
- Retaining their independence and voluntary ethos while playing an increasingly important role in the delivery of public services.
