Background to the Research

• With little debate existing in NI regarding spatial segregation and the politics of housing policy, the article looks at the specific problems facing housing authorities in NI.
  

Research Approach

• The article provides analysis on housing policies, documents, and academic criticisms in NI, with some references to the situation in Britain and the USA
  

Main Findings

Race, Housing and Policy

• In Britain and the USA, there has been extensive research into the housing of ethnic peoples and their treatment within the housing system. Although NI uses the same techniques to assess the impact of segregation, its policies are not subjected to the same level of critical analysis, partly because policy is to some extent dictated by the violence in NI.

Housing History and Policy Style

• A report by the PSI came to the conclusion that there was no evidence of discrimination by the NIHE, despite the high rate of segregation in the public housing sector. SACHR, using this report, acknowledged that there were issues preventing the promotion of integration in NI.
• It has been argued that this should not prevent the development of policy concerning the segregated allocation of housing. The NIHE explained their lack of defined policy by pointing to tenant choice and the difficulties of integrated housing in NI.
• Before the creation of the NIHE, NI housing policy was subject to much criticism and accusations of bias. The NIHE distanced themselves from this by de-politicising and not having a strong stance on policy, thus attempting to avoid renewed allegations.
• The NIHE has not been completely free from accusations of prejudice, however, with suspicion that they have been used by the military and politics to compartmentalise Catholics into easy to contain cul de sacs and areas or to 'de- Protestantise' Belfast. However, the article points to other factors, such as the change in labour patterns, that would explain the way housing was allocated.
• The article criticises the NICRC for its over-simplistic attitude in lobbying for mixed religion estates without taking into account the advantages of segregation for some communities.

A New Policy Context

• Although the Housing Policy Review and subsequent Review of the Northern Ireland Housing Market 1998/99 - 2000/01 does show that the NIHE is beginning to focus more on methods such as analyses of demographics rather than quantative studies, the article points out that it still does not take into account the religious divide and the necessary implications on housing policy, for example the fact that the birth rate in Catholic families is higher than in Protestant families.

Recommendations

• Whereas Britain and the USA have had to redefine their housing structure to take account of ethnic differences, NI needs to look at adding an ethno-religious component to all areas of policy, and the NIHE should at least attempt to address the issue of spatial segregation.