CLANRYE NEWS 
By Kevin McAteer You don’t always have to deal with the Housing Executive alone. NIHE’s published guidance recognises friends, relatives and advocates acting as representatives for customers. This is not limited to councillors. You may need to give NIHE permission to discuss your personal information with your chosen representative. WANT SOMEONE TO HELP YOU? DO […]
By Locals First Initiative What started with two HMOs being brought to our attention has rapidly turned into a much bigger investigation — and the number of reports coming forward is truly astonishing. Last month, two HMOs were brought to the attention of Locals First Initiative. At the time, we believed we may have been […]
Aontú representative Róisín Mulgrew has called for urgent action to address the shortage of social housing in Newry, Mourne and Down, after newly released figures showed that no social housing completions were recorded in the Council area during the first six months of 2026. Figures released by the Department of Finance show that Newry, Mourne […]
Land & Property Services, supported by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency, has released the latest Accredited Official Statistics on the House Price Index for Quarter 2 2026. The Northern Ireland House Price Index, based on HMRC stamp duty data, forms part of the UK House Price Index, ensuring figures are directly comparable with […]
By Kevin McAteer If you are homeless and the Housing Executive places you in emergency or temporary accommodation, do you lose your housing points? Here is what the official rules actually say. There can be a lot of confusion around Northern Ireland’s social housing points system. One question in particular regularly causes concern: “If the […]
Locals First Initiative is calling for an urgent, independent investigation into the condition of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s housing stock in Newry mourne and Down and whether some properties being allocated to vulnerable tenants are genuinely fit for habitation. Representatives from Locals First Initiative recently attended two properties that had been offered to vulnerable individuals […]
By Locals First Initiative Across Newry, Mourne and Down, many local families believe they are being pushed out of the housing market. The continued growth of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) is, they argue, reducing the number of homes available to buy or rent, making it increasingly difficult for young couples and families to remain […]
A new public consultation has been launched by the Housing Executive on its draft Irish Traveller Accommodation Strategy. Outlining the organisation’s approach to improving accommodation outcomes for Irish Travellers, the draft strategy will run until 2031 and the twelve-week, public consultation finishes on September 28, 2026. Interested parties can give their views on the Consultations […]
Statement: In recent months, Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance have attempted to portray the Locals First Initiative as being opposed to immigrant workers and people from different backgrounds. That claim is simply untrue. Our position has been consistent from the very beginning. We stand for the people of Newry, Mourne and Down—regardless of their […]
Northern Ireland is facing an unprecedented housing crisis, with almost 50,000 households currently waiting for a social home and thousands more trapped in temporary accommodation. The latest figures paint a stark picture of growing housing demand, rising homelessness, and increasing pressure on already stretched public services. At the end of 2025, there were 49,755 households […]
Older people across NI are being asked to check if they could receive help with housing costs, including rent or rates, through the Housing Benefit scheme. Administered by the Housing Executive, help is available to pension-age customers who are finding it difficult to meet essential household costs, particularly those living on fixed or lower incomes. […]
Laughter, connection and true community spirit were in abundance at our heart-warming 11th annual Housing Executive Rural Community Awards ceremony. Held in The Seamus Heaney Homeplace in Bellaghy, Co Derry/Londonderry and supported by the Rural Community Network and the Northern Ireland Housing Council, the event celebrated the dedication of rural groups and individuals in improving […]