Housing delivery is about building more than homes

Delivering quality new homes is only one part of the solution to Ireland’s housing crisis. At Respond, where delivery is at its largest scale ever with approximately 3,500 homes in construction, the focus is on prioritising long-term management, tenant supports, and providing community infrastructure.

Progressing to a more integrated approach, Respond has embedded a system where tenants are engaged prior to receiving their keys and long after moving into their homes. As housing output accelerates nationally, approved housing bodies (AHBs) inherently understand that success cannot be measured solely in delivery numbers but must also consider the quality, sustainability, and resilience of the communities created.

Traditionally, social housing in Ireland has centred on smaller-scale developments. While this model serves a purpose, the upscaling of housing delivery means we must adjust to also meet the demands of growing and expanding urban populations.

The AHB sector is undergoing a significant shift in these urban locations towards larger-scale developments, high-density living, and apartment-based schemes located closer to city centres and key infrastructure.

This movement is indicative of the evolving nature of Respond. Models such as the ‘urban villages’ and 15-minute cities, where tenants can access basic needs in proximity, signals a move towards more connected, sustainable lifestyles. At Respond, we understand that while achieving this vision requires high quality homes, it also requires long-term consideration and planning for how these communities will function and thrive.

“Respond is committed to ensuring that new developments do not just meet immediate demand but continue to succeed for generations to come.”

A shift to tenant experience

Respond’s shift to tenant experience means considering the lived experience of tenants on a day-to-day basis. High-quality design and construction remain essential. Equally important are the systems and supports enabling people to build stable lives in their homes.

Respond has seen firsthand how integrating much need services serves communities. When you combine childcare, older persons’ supports, and community facilities, the result is not just somewhere to live, but a thriving, connected environment. At Respond, our housing and services teams ensure these services extend beyond tenants to the wider community, helping break down barriers and foster inclusion.

Elanora Court, Respond’s pilot development for large scale housing with 153 homes, is a vivid example of this success. Upon completion, Respond’s tenant experience team were onsite prior to tenant move-ins, connecting directly with community partners ensuring initiatives were in place from the onset.

Newer developments across Respond are building on this, integrating learnings into mixed-tenure models. These housing models create more balanced communities, support social integration, and challenge outdated perceptions of social housing reflecting the reality that housing need exists across a broad spectrum requiring inclusive solutions.

Planning for the long term

As housing developments increase in scale and complexity, so too must the approach to managing them. Larger schemes bring new challenges, ranging from maintaining shared spaces to supporting diverse tenant needs, requiring a more sophisticated, on-the-ground presence.

In response, Respond are evolving their management model. This includes site-based teams in larger developments, made up of housing and tenant experience staff, caretaking services, concierge-style supports, and community development professionals. These roles are designed to ensure Respond tenants feel supported from the outset and that issues can be addressed quickly and effectively.

Through additional and wider hiring across its large-scale developments, Respond is proactive in combating uncertainties, embedding staff directly into communities. Seven Mills is a clear example of a mixed-tenure development that has successfully ingrained community supports.

The housing team piloted a ‘couch to 5k’ initiative with over 60 tenants participating, along with a summer football camp, which saw 30 children participate during their school holidays. Supports such as these ensure tenants have readily available points of contact on their estates.

This approach reflects a clear commitment where Respond remains a core part of the structure of housing tenancies.

Early engagement and prevention

A key pillar of the Respond model is prevention. Experience has proven that many tenancy-related issues can be avoided through early engagement, strong relationships, and clear communication.

This process begins before tenants move in by establishing connections early, setting expectations, and linking with relevant supports, creating strong foundations from day one. Ongoing engagement ensures that tenants feel heard and supported, and that potential issues can be identified before escalation.

Partnership is central to this approach. Respond works closely with local authorities, health, and social care services, community organisations, and recreational groups to build a network of support around each development. This integrated approach enables a more holistic response to tenant needs, recognising that housing stability is often linked to broader social and economic factors.

While prevention is the priority, there are times when more direct intervention is required. In such cases, having established relationships and local knowledge allows for a swift and coordinated response.

Importantly, this approach balances support for individuals with a responsibility to the wider community, ensuring that developments remain safe, stable and positive places to live.

Looking ahead

Building more homes is essential, and by matching investment in supports and systems that sustain them, Respond can deliver safe and secure homes for tenants.

The opportunity now is to embed these principles into housing delivery at every level acknowledging that true success is about people, communities, and long-term outcomes.

By planning for management services and tenant support from the outset, Respond is committed to ensuring that new developments do not just meet immediate demand but continue to succeed for generations to come.

W: www.respond.ie