Nearly 3,000 on social housing list

There are currently 2,950 people on the social housing list in County Clare with 860 on the rent supplement scheme and these figures continue to rise, according to a county council official.

Following a motion tabled at Monday’s local authority meeting calling for a debate on the critical shortage of social housing, Bernadette Kinsella, director of service for housing, told council members, “Not all who are on the approved list wish to be housed by the county council, as many are approved to provide rent supplement.”
Councillor Gerry Flynn had tabled the motion that read, “In view of the critical shortage of social housing this council debates possible solutions and that the housing section provides a comprehensive report on the take-up and availability of RAS (Rental Accommodation Scheme) scheme and lease options.”
Councillor Flynn sought the figures of those on the social housing list. “I believe that this county council needs to plan not alone for the social housing fallout but the economic fallout. There was a time when the council could buy houses and give them to the people. RAS is not filling the void and we need to look at our own house in this.”
He encouraged the council to take out a loan to purchase houses stating that he was aware of houses in his own area going for between €80,000 and €100,000.
“We need to look at the management of our housing stock, where we might have one person in a three-bedroom house and a family in a two-bedroom house. There is value for money out there and half a million would buy a lot of houses. Our housing situation is at a stage of meltdown,” he concluded.
He was supported by Councillor Johnny Flynn, who suggested the council look at a multi-agency approach. Councillor Pat Keane believed there are a lot of unfinished houses in the county that could be taken on by the council.
“The onus is on us to do something. I think that something can be done with the banks through Nama to provide houses,” Councillor Keane said.
Councillor Pat Hayes also supported the motion but stressed there needed to be a complete review of the rent supplement scheme.
Responding to the comments, Ms Kinsella stated, “Clearly the focus has shifted from acquisition of land and building.”
Meanwhile, in a formal reply to the motion, she said the RAS housing option is intended for persons who have received rent supplement from the HSE for a period of 18 months or more.
“It is compulsory for the tenant to transfer to RAS once suitable accommodation is available. However, it is optional for the landlord. The council is engaged in an ongoing process of interviewing qualified tenants, inspecting properties and communicating with landlords with a view to completing contracts,” she stated.
She explained that by the end of 2010, a total of 160 qualified tenants were interviewed, 73 units were transferred to RAS and 250 technical inspections on properties were carried out with seven such properties deemed unsuitable.
The total number of units in RAS at the end of 2010 was recorded at 335, with the number of voluntary units included in this standing at 59.
“It is proposed to transfer a similar number of additional units into this scheme in 2011,” she stated.
In respect of social leasing, she said the Government has allocated funding for local authorities and approved housing bodies to lease residential properties from private owners.
“These properties will be used to provide accommodation to people who are currently unable to source suitable properties from their own resources,” she advised and added there were two such options available for property owners interested in this.
“The first was a long-term lease arrangement of between 10 to 20 years and the second a short-term lease arrangement from one to 10 years.
Under the long-term arrangement the property owners will receive a lease amount of approximately 80% of the current market rent while the local authority will be landlord to the tenants and will be responsible for day-to-day property maintenance. While under the short-term arrangement the property owners will receive a rent amount of approximately 92% of the current market rent but will be landlord to the tenant and retain responsibility for day-to day property maintenance.
“The council commenced operating the scheme in 2010 and has currently signed leases on five properties at four different locations in the county.
“A number of single-house applications are also currently being assessed. In addition, a proposal has been submitted to the department seeking approval to lease 10 houses at one location. It is proposed to provide in excess of 30 lease units of accommodation under this scheme in 2011 at various locations throughout the county,” she concluded.