Housing associations to tackle waiting lists

WITH housing waiting lists across Dublin steadily increasing, one of the largest housing associations in Ireland has stepped in to meet demand.

Clúid, Ireland’s leading housing association, said that innovative solutions will be the key driving force in delivering homes to the 19,436 households currently on the city’s local authority waiting lists.

Clúid’s Head of Policy, Simon Brooke, said:

“Where local authorities delivered social housing in the past, future demand will be met through housing associations like Clúid.

“A key reason for this is that capital spending has been cut dramatically, and housing associations can access debt finance to fund social housing provision.

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He added:

“Innovation will be key to future growth as new housing procurement routes are established and developed.

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Clúid is an independent not-for-profit organisation that provides affordable housing for people from local authority housing waiting lists. It is currently involved in delivering 3,664 homes to low income families and single people, older people, people with a disability and Traveller families all over Ireland.

Mr Brooke pointed out that the Housing Policy Statement, published in June 2011, placed housing associations

“at the heart of the Government’s vision for social housing provision

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“The housing association sector is undergoing a massive change,

? Mr Brooke said.

“Housing provided by housing associations is no longer 100 per cent funded by the Government. In fact, capital spending on the provision of social housing in Ireland was cut by a huge 72 per cent between 2008 and 2012.

“So to make the best use of the very limited Government funding available we are now sourcing alternative funding through new sources.

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Pioneering housing projects delivered by Clúid recently have included procuring housing through leasing schemes.

“There is a significant amount of new, unoccupied housing left over from the previously buoyant property market around the country,

? Mr Brooke said.

“This provides an opportunity for housing associations to get involved in long-term leasing, in turn providing housing to those in need.

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