Asylum seekers are not impacting NIHE’s temporary housing portfolio
Senior NIHE official questioned over the activities of Home Office contractors
COMPETITION from asylum seekers is having no noticeable impact on the Housing Executive’s ability to secure temporary accommodation for locals.
That was the assessment delivered by a senior NIHE official when questioned over the activities of Home Office contractors responsible for housing newly arrived migrants in Causeway Coast and Glens.
Area Housing Manager, Mark Alexander was addressing questions from TUV councillor Allister Kyle following the Housing Executive’s annual presentation to the council chamber. Had there been any affect on stock by those being temporarily housed by Mears Group locally, asked Cllr Kyle.
Mr Alexander responded: “In terms of Mears provision temporary accommodation in the borough, we haven’t noticed an impact on our own temporary accommodation portfolio. There was, I suppose, a fear at the start that we may have been competing for the same properties for temporary accommodation but that hasn’t borne out.”
See the full story in this week’s Coleraine Chronicle.