COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, September 08, 2014

MOTION NO. 6

MOTION: Councillor C. King

That this Committee calls on the Chief Executive to contact the Department with a view to regularising all tenancies on a permanent basis in all of the "unsold affordable Homes" within the control of this Committee as tenants have no stability and added to that there is no sales scheme in operation at present.

REPORT:

The Council has a current stock of 148 unsold affordable properties which comprises 146 apartments and 2 houses. All 148 properties are assigned for temporary social use under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative in accordance with Department of the Environment Community & Local Government guidelines. The 148 properties are occupied by persons from the social housing waiting list for which the tenancy agreements were for an initial 5 year period. In July 2014, the Council sought approval from the Department of the Environment Community & Local Government to extend this period. By letter dated 23/7/14, the Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government approved continuance of the 148 units within the Social Housing Leasing Initiative for a further 5 year period.  This approval requires that at the end of the 5 year period the Council should endeavour to restore the properties to affordable use or sell under the Incremental Purchase Scheme.

There is no current purchase scheme available to tenants. The Housing(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for the introduction of an Incremental Purchase Scheme in respect of housing stock currently occupied by Council tenants including Unsold affordable Stock. It is expected that this scheme will become operational in mid 2015. However it should be noted that the proposed scheme is for houses only and specifically excludes apartment type dwellings for which there is a communal aspect. Accordingly the majority of the 148 unsold affordable stock properties will not be eligible for inclusion in the scheme.