COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 11, 2019

QUESTION NO. 16

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chief Executive to present a report detailing his ongoing efforts to deal with the housing crisis in our County and in responding will he confirm the numbers on our lists and will he make a statement.

REPLY:

This Council achieved 115% of our 2018 social housing delivery target under Rebuilding Ireland with 1,787 additional households supported in the County through the various housing programmes in 2018, with 593 homes added to social housing stock (475 of which were new builds) and 1,194 additional households were supported through HAP/Homeless HAP and RAS.

The Housing Department also has an active delivery programme for 2019 with current projected delivery of 444 new social homes to be provided under Build, Acquisition and Leasing programmes by the Council, Approved Housing Bodies and under Part V as well as ongoing examination of opportunities for further housing delivery where possible.  In addition, the provision of social housing through RAS and HAP schemes will continue to be a key part of social housing supply in 2019.

Plans and projects for further housing delivery beyond 2019 include:

• Construction of the 205 social homes approved under Part 8;
• Progress plans for a further 283 social homes currently at pre-planning stage;
• Commencement of the PPP site at Corkagh Grange to deliver 109 social homes in 2020;
• Delivery of the Kilcarbery joint venture project for 975 homes of which 30% are for social housing;
• Completing master-planning and progressing next steps for social, affordable and other housing tenure delivery at large sites at Clonburris SDZ, Belgard Square North, Rathcoole and Killinarden;
• Ongoing planning and partnership with Approved Housing Bodies Sector for additional housing developments;
• Negotiated Part V delivery based on planning permissions in the County;
• Exploration of all possible leasing opportunities.

However, it is recognised that social housing supports do not provide for all applicants on the social housing list at present and some applicants are unfortunately homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Council’s homeless unit offer advice, information, sign-posting to services and emergency/temporary accommodation options to all applicants who find themselves homeless. Our outreach support service links with other support services, other agencies and accommodation options to assist those who are rough sleeping. In addition, the Council’s dedicated placement officers work with families and individuals to assist them o source private rented accommodation. These services aim to prevent applicants entering homelessness or exiting emergency accommodation as soon as possible. The Council is also examining additional options to provide supported temporary accommodation in the County to those persons finding themselves homeless.

At mid-February, there were 7,215 applications on the Council's social housing waiting list.