Housing strategy

Affordable Housing Policy has been at the forefront of Isle of Man Government policy and strategy since 1999, and it has continued to evolve and develop ever since. It is delivered primarily under the vires of 1955 Housing Act and the Housing Miscellaneous Acts of 1976 and 2011.

The Department has developed a new Housing Strategy for 2020, which includes the following 7 policy principals:

Principle 1	Government will continue to support and facilitate the provision of affordable housing for the wider benefit of all across the island.
Principle 2	Housing providers and stakeholders will work collaboratively to encourage the delivery of good quality affordable homes and services which meet the changing needs of the island’s population.
Principle 3	The subsidy for affordable housing will be appropriately targeted to those with the least means and most in physical, social and financial need.
Principle 4	The changing needs of the individual should be at the heart of affordable housing services.
Principle 5	There is a continued commitment to costeffective, efficient and sustainable housing design capable of delivering quality energy efficient homes.
Principle 6	Affordable housing development and refurbishment should support a mix of types of home to help deliver diverse and sustainable local communities.
Principle 7	There should be an appropriate legislative and regulatory framework to underpin the affordable housing sector and support the principles of social provision

These high level strategic policy principles are the basis from which to develop an action plan for affordable housing, utilising the commitment and engagement of key stakeholders such as Local Housing Authorities and third sector organisations to bring about deliverable outcomes for each of the Policy objectives. 

The Department is committed to working with other stakeholders to ensure affordable housing is a key strand of any national housing strategy coming forward. This includes the core groupings of:

• Local authorities and local authority housing providers
• Third sector charities and housing providers and
• Other government agencies such as the Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Enterprise, Department of Environment Food and Agriculture, The Treasury, and the Cabinet Office.

For full details of the Housing Strategy please read the All Island Strategy for Affordable Housing 2020.