Ní Chuilín supports ‘Standing up for North Belfast’ housing campaign

Pledging her continuing support for a ‘Stand Up for North Belfast’ housing campaign, North Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín said nationalists were “still waiting on equality”.
North Belfast housing activists, politicians, community groups, church representatives and residents this week held an introductory meeting to outline the way forward for the Stand Up For North Belfast campaign.
The common goal is to hold the Housing Executive, the Department for Social Development (DSD) and private landlords to account.
“Many people are doing excellent work on their own but we need to join all our efforts and make this work,” said Carál.
“Private landlords banking land, charging colossal rents and housing associations selling houses privately are all adding to a poverty trap and these are the priorities we need to tackle as a matter of urgency.”
Housing Executive figures revealed that at the end of March, there were 2,502 applicants on the North Belfast housing waiting list, 1,690 of which were Catholics.
Almost 1,500 of those waiting were deemed to be in housing stress, 72 per cent of who were Catholic.