Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix·Page 14·3.3.2
Definition and purpose of affordable housing
Affordable housing is housing available to households who cannot afford open-market housing or need specific types not commonly available. It is provided outside the general market and not available to households who can meet their own housing needs.
Fundamentally, affordable housing is available to households who otherwise could not house themselves, for example, because they would struggle to afford the cost of housing in the open market, or they need a specific type of house which is not commonly available. It is provided outside the general market i.e. it is not a home bought privately or a home rented from a private landlord. It is therefore not available to households who can meet their own housing needs without support.
Source — /Users/richardhill/Documents/planning-arch-project/data/documents/belfast/SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix.pdf