COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 13, 2010

QUESTION NO. 18

QUESTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

To ask the Manager if he will provide a report on the current activities of the Housing Department in the provision of housing for persons who were deemed to be homeless by the Council, the report to include information on direct provision by the Council and provision by Housing Agencies/Homeless Agencies where SDCC has an involvement, including securing Government funding, or otherwise?

REPLY:

Since August 2010, the Council is represented on a Regional Procurement Team comprising a representative from the Housing Department of each of the Dublin Housing Authorities which is charged with procuring homes for homeless persons in Dublin.

Homes are being sourced and procured in South Dublin for that cohort of the Dublin Homeless population with origins in or who have expressed a desire to live in the county.  At present there are 113 such clients registered with the Council.

While the regional team is sourcing and agreeing prices on the properties, in South Dublin, the new procurement unit will be completing the transactions.

Since mid August and up to Friday, the 3rd of December 50 homes had been sourced from the following sources :

Leased:           15 almost complete (with a further 6 under consideration)

Purchased:       Sales prices agreed on 17 properties

Casual vacancies in housing stock:              8

 Voluntary                                                         2

RAS:                                                               2

Capital Assistance Scheme Properties:        6

All leased properties will be funded from national leasing funds.  RAS properties will be funded from RAS funds and the purchasing of CAS properties will be funded from SHIP funds.

Prior to this concentrated procurement initiative commencing, the following casual vacancies in the Council’s housing stock and in voluntary housing stock in the county were utilised for Homeless Persons this year:

Social Housing Stock:                                    20

Voluntary Housing Stock:                              4

RAS Properties:                                             4

Unsold Affordable Unit:                                 1

An additional 4 homeless applicants have been housed in long-term supported accommodation with a specialised voluntary body.