Tenants Are Residents – Recognition Is Inclusion

Across Ireland, more than 150,000 households live in local authority housing. These households include families, older people, people with disabilities, migrant communities and many others who contribute to their communities every day.

Yet many people living in council housing feel excluded from decisions affecting their homes and neighbourhoods.

One of the most common frustrations reported by residents is not always the delay in repairs or services — it is the lack of clear communication around those decisions. Unclear letters, limited updates and difficulty reaching the right department often leave people feeling unheard.

Local authority housing communities are diverse and include families, older people, people with disabilities, migrant communities and many others. Strengthening participation and communication helps ensure that housing services reflect the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in practice.

A simple change in how housing governance is framed could help improve this.

If someone lives in a community, raises a family there and contributes locally, they are a resident.

Recognising tenants as residents within housing participation and engagement frameworks would:

• strengthen communication between housing services and communities
• support meaningful participation in decisions affecting homes and neighbourhoods
• reinforce the dignity and inclusion of people living in local authority housing.

Ireland already has strong equality and human rights obligations for public bodies under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, including the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty.

Recognising tenants as residents would support these obligations by strengthening inclusion and participation in housing governance.

Importantly, this proposal does not require legislative change. It could be encouraged through national guidance from the Department of Housing.

We are calling on Housing Minister James Browne TD to encourage local authorities to recognise tenants as residents within housing participation frameworks.

This would support:

• stronger communication between housing services and residents
• greater participation in housing decisions
• more inclusive housing governance across Ireland.

Housing services work best when residents and housing staff work together.

Recognition strengthens trust, improves communication and supports stronger communities.