CAMPAINGNERS gathered in Belfast yesterday to highlight their concerns that the city is "suffering from a homelessness crisis".
Homeless families, asylum seekers and refugees joined campaigners to call for action to tackle issues surrounding homelessness in Belfast.
The 'Build Homes Now' campaigners delivered letters of protest to the offices of Belfast City Council, the Housing Executive and the Department for Communities yesterday "demanding accountability and action from the city’s most senior public servants"
The three public bodies are jointly responsible for planning, funding and development of social housing. In their letters, they asked for the public bodies to "use their existing powers to transform empty land and property into housing".
It is estimated around 11,000 families are on Belfast's social housing waiting list, with more than 8,000 deemed to be in housing stress.
Linda Casey from the 'Homes Now Campaign' has been on the housing waiting list for seven years.
"Belfast is suffering from a homelessness crisis," she said.
"This is intolerable in a city as wealthy as ours.
"The money is there. The land is there. Most importantly, the homeless families are there."
Geraldine Owens, a mother-of-three from north Belfast, also said she had attended the rally as she wants "more action to tackle the ongoing homeless crisis".
"I waited over 15 years for a house for my family," she said.
"And we only got a home after going public to tell our story.
"The stress my family has gone through because of our homelessness has caused irreversible mental and physical issues for all of us.
"No-one should go through this."
