What is Housing Need?

This article examines the many approaches to defining housing need. !-- * Font Definitions * @font-face {font-family: #65325; #65331; #26126; #26397;; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria Math; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:InterFace Light; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:InterFace Light; mso-font-charset:77; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:auto; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} * Style Definitions * p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: #65325; #65331; #26126; #26397;; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-bidi-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:JA;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: #65325; #65331; #26126; #26397;; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:JA;} @page WordSection1 {size:595.0pt 842.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} -- The principle of addressing need is central to modern social welfare systems and social housing provision. The objective of meeting need is widely cited as the justification for State action in key areas of social welfare, health and housing law and policy. Yet, this seemingly common term is rarely examined, except by conservative theorists and other commentators, on grounds of being emotive and overstated in modern Ireland. In relation to housing, there is a somewhat rudimentary equation of need with homelessness and the need for shelter. But housing need is both an individual and socially constructed concept. Various studies have refined these definition, but significantly, the Irish State has altered the concept of housing need in legislation in 2009. There are parallels between need and minimum core obligations on States under the UN human rights instruments, although the standards derived from these can be variable. This commonly used, but often contested term, merits some examination.