1. Stigma and social housing in Ireland: scale, significance and solutions Research funded by the Clúid Adrian Norridge Housing Research Bursary
Professor Michelle Norris
School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice
University College Dublin 1

2. Why research stigma and social housing?
Income, Family Type, Nationality and Education by Housing Tenure in Ireland, 2009, 2013
Socio-economic characteristic
Owner Occupied
Private Renting (at market rates)
Social Housing
2009 %
2013
Income below 60% of equivalised median income
15.1
12.2
15.0
15.9
37.2
35.9
One parent family households
3.9
2.6
12.9
14.6
20.5
20.3
Household head is not an Irish citizen
2.8
47.4
44.6
7.4
9.3
Household head was not born in Ireland
8.0
10.1
53.3
53.9
17.8
Highest level of education of household head
No formal education or primary education.
29.4
23.2
9.8
7.2
44.9
32.3
Lower secondary
16.3
14.2
8.6
8.2
20.0
18.4
Upper secondary
17.4
16.5
20.1
23.7
13.0
16.8
Third level degree or above
21.2
19.5
35.3
25.0
7.3
9.6 2

3. Why research stigma and social housing?
Research evidence indicates it is a problem in some social housing neighbourhoods
Opposition to new social housing developments and to tenure mixing partially motivated by stigma
Highlighted as a concerns in many social housing estate regeneration projects
But
The extent and significance of stigma in Irish social housing is not well researched
Nor are measures to combat stigma 3

4. Challenges of researching stigma and social housing
By discussing the problem do we reinforce it?
Complex issue:
Highly varied between social housing estates – most estates are not stigmatised
Varied within social housing estates
Challenging to combat particularly in existing estates 4

5. How we researched stigma and social housing
Significance and forms of stigma:
Review of existing research
Macro level risk of stigma
Data from the 2009 and 2013 European Union Survey of Income and Living Conditions (EUSILC).
Estate level experiences of stigma:
Case studies of three social housing estates
Combatting stigma:
Built environment, tenure mixing and image change 5

6. Case Study Estates 6 Ballymun Clarion Quay Fatima Mansions
Ballymun
Clarion Quay
Fatima Mansions
Year of construction
2002
1949
Location
Outer suburb on the north side of Dublin’s city centre.
Dublin’s inner city docklands area which has been regenerated by Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA).
Rialto district in Dublin’s south inner-city.
Original Design
A mix of 15, 8 and 4-storey apartment blocks and standard housing units.
10 blocks of 4 storey apartment blocks organised around a green area and facing onto the river Liffey. It includes 4 one bedroom, 18 two bedroom and 14 three bedroom apartments.
4 storey apartment blocks.
Current Design
A mix of 2, 3 and 4-storey houses and apartments, leisure facilities, retail outlets and an arts and community centre.
Same
Mix of 4 storey apartments, terraced houses and maisonettes, retail, offices and a sports and community centre. 6