COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 13, 2008

MOTION NO.6

MOTION: Councillor C. King

That this Council while acknowledging the hard work of the Housing maintenance staff calls on the Manager to once and for all address the ongoing and increasing levels of vacant/boarded up houses throughout the County as a matter of priority to ensure the most efficient use of Housing stock while providing homes for families and returning a sense of pride to areas that have had to endure the presence of unsightly boarded-up houses scattered throughout their neighbourhoods for periods of up to two and a half years.

REPORT:

On average SDCC experiences a vacancy rate within its social rented housing stock of about 80 units representing c l% of the entire housing stock.

The average length of time it takes Housing Department to prepare a house for re-let repairs  is approximately 12 weeks.    In the case of fire damaged and/or vandalised houses, it can take considerably longer to effect the pre-let repairs.

While every effort is made to secure vacant council dwellings against arson  and/or attacks of vandalism,  such houses are frequently targetted by anti-social elements when considerable damage can be caused necessitating extensive pre-let repair works which serves to delay the period within which a house can be rendered fit for re-allocation.    While on average 2-3 houses per week are handed over by the Council's Housing Maintenance Depots for re-allocation -this has negative impact on the number of vacant dwellings in any week as approx. 2-3 houses are surrendered weekly.

While every effort is made by the Council's Housing Allocations Team to ensure the efficient allocation of houses in the interest responding to housing need and good estate management,  the high incidence of refusals of offers of accommodation results in houses that have been rendered fit for re-letting remaining vacant shuttered and vulnerable.  In the nine month period January - September 2008 of the  344 units allocated to new tenants, 73 refusals were received indicating a refusal rate of l for every five offers made. 

A reivew of work practices within the Housing Allocations section is currently underway with a view to streamlining the allocations function.