an agendaNi event
agendaNi is organising its annual Northern Ireland Housing Conference, which has become well established as the major annual event for all those with an interest or role in housing in Northern Ireland. As with previous years, it will have a genuine, in depth understanding of the key issues via a high-level panel of local and visiting speakers. The conference is an important date in the diary of housing professionals across the region.
The 2024 conference will take place against a backdrop of high inflation and the worst living standards squeeze on record. Figures from the end of March 2023 show that 45,105 are on the social housing waiting list – the highest number Northern Ireland has seen for years with over 32,000 considered to be in housing stress. At the time of writing, we still have no functioning Executive and Minister in place, further delaying the Housing Supply Strategy, a 15-year plan to deliver over 100,000 homes (including over 33,000 social homes) and address supply-related pressures. Indeed, since the time of publication of the draft Strategy, the original challenges have become even more pronounced. Fewer households are able to access homeownership, due to higher mortgage rates, higher property prices, economic uncertainty and the cost of living crisis.
However, broad consensus on the core aspects of the Strategy has provided confidence to move forward with the development of a first action plan, ensuring work towards implementation is already underway, with most of the actions falling under the remit of the Department for Communities. Early identified draft actions include providing more social and intermediate homes, including the development of a new intermediate rent product; implementation of the Social Housing Allocations review, and progression of regulations to improve the private rented sector.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive, our Housing Associations and other organisations in the sector also continue to forge ahead, delivering safe, quality homes and other care and support services. In 2023, it was announced that Housing Associations had successfully exceeded new build targets set by the Department in the financial year 2022/23. However, reductions to the Capital House Building Programme for 2023/24 will directly impact on the number of social homes being built.
The Northern Ireland Housing Conference will bring together key stakeholders and look at how we can fulfil the need for safe, affordable housing both now and in the future.
The Europa Hotel, Belfast
From 09:00
Wednesday 20th March
Minister for Communities
Chief Executive
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Director of Care and Support
Radius Housing
Chief Executive
Choice Housing
Policy and Research Executive
Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations
Executive Director of Customer and Communities
Clanmil Housing
Director of Business Development
RITTERWALD
Director
Campbell Tickell
Chief Economist
Ulster Bank
National Director
Chartered Institute of Housing
Director, Northern Ireland
National Energy Action (NEA)
Head of Sustainable Development
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Professor of Housing
Ulster University
Programme Manager
Northern Ireland
Energy Saving Trust
Head of Business Development
Switchee
Registration and morning coffee
Professor Paddy Gray OBE
Professor of Housing
Ulster University
Chair’s welcome and introduction
Gordon Lyons MLA
Minister for Communities
Housing policy
Priorities for housing policy in Northern Ireland
Grainia Long
Chief Executive
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Housing for All
Delivering the Housing for All Programme
Richard Ramsey
Chief Economist
Ulster Bank
Economic overview
The future outlook for the housing market
Justin Cartwright
National Director, Northern Ireland
Chartered Institute of Housing
Resourcing
Raising professionalism in the housing sector
Questions & answers / panel discussion
Networking break
Ceri Victory-Rowe
Director
Campbell Tickell
Risk management
Resilient housing services: Managing risk for Housing Associations
Fiona McAnespie
Director of Care and Support
Radius Housing
Supporting People
Supporting People: Blending assistive technology with traditional models of delivery
Ad Hereijgers
Director of Business Development
RITTERWALD
ESG
ESG reporting in social housing
Pól Callaghan
Executive Director of Customer and Communities
Clanmil Housing
Tenant engagement
The evolution of customer service: Co-designing a customer strategy with tenants
Tom Longley
Head of Business Development
Switchee
Digital transformation: Assets
Innovative technology to manage assets and deliver better services
Questions & answers / panel discussion
Networking lunch
Pat Austin, Director, National Energy Action
Robert Clements, Head of Sustainable Development, Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Michael McDonnell, Chief Executive, Choice Housing
Kevin McGarry, Programme Manager, Northern Ireland, Energy Saving Trust
Clára Robinson, Policy and Research Executive, Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations
PANEL DISCUSSION: DECARBONISATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING
Chair’s summary and conference close
There are a limited number of available sponsorship and exhibition opportunities at this conference which will be of interest to companies and organisations with products or services they wish to promote. For further information and to learn how your organisation can benefit, contact Olivia Ross on 028 9261 9933 or email Olivia.Ross@agendani.com.