SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan has called for an urgent programme of house building to meet the significant levels of people living in housing stress in Strabane.
The West Tyrone politican said that when the SDLP held the Social Development portfolio, the party built more social housing than ever before.
Mr McCrossan said: “The latest figures show that there are 437 people on the housing waiting list in Strabane, over half of whom are in housing stress.
“It is unacceptable to me that we have so many people desperate for adequate housing and yet we aren’t building the houses we need to support them.
“I’ve asked questions in the Assembly about the supply of new build social housing and it continues to fall short of what’s clearly needed.
“The 2015-19 housing development programme plans provision of an additional 106 units for people in Strabane.
“But that won’t even provide a home for a quarter of those on the waiting list now and that’s before we consider those who’ll join the list over the next three years.
“When the SDLP held the Housing portfolio, we ensured that more social housing was built than ever before.
“That spirit of ambition is needed again.
“I’ll continue to press the Minister to provide a baseline level of housing that meets growing need in Strabane. Any other response is simply deficient,” added the MLA.
