Council scheme difficulties highlighted

A NORTHSIDE councillor has claimed that a key Dublin City Council scheme is

“collapsing

?.

Donaghmede ward councillor Mícheál Mac Donncha (SF) said landlords are pulling out of the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), pushing more people onto the homeless list and worsening the housing crisis.

There are 1,500 tenants approximately in the RAS scheme. In response to a question from Cllr Mac Donncha, the council said that as of December 2, 59 landlords were looking to pull out of the scheme.

“The RAS scheme is effectively collapsing,

? Cllr Mac Donncha told Northside People.

“The shortage of rented accommodation in Dublin means that RAS tenants and those dependent on Rent Supplement are being squeezed out.

“Landlords are increasing rents and taking in people with higher incomes because of the shortage of housing supply in Dublin. The housing crisis is deepening.

?

Cllr Mac Donncha said he knew of one case where a tenant moved into a RAS house on a Wednesday and was informed by the council on the Friday that the landlord was pulling out and she had to move out again that very day.

“That is disgraceful,

? he stated. “Rents are rising in Dublin and the supply of apartments and houses is shrinking yet the Government expects the city council to rely on the private rented sector to house people.

?

Cllr Mac Donncha said the Government needed to start funding the local authorities to build apartments and houses again to increase the supply in the capital and to address the housing crisis.

“It must also move to control prices and make new homes affordable so people can obtain sustainable mortgages,

? he added.

A spokeswoman for Dublin City Council confirmed that it has 1,500 RAS tenancies and now has 61 RAS landlords who are not renewing their RAS contracts.

“Dublin City Council is actively seeking alternative accommodation for the RAS tenants,

? she told Northside People.

“RAS tenants in this situation are also encouraged and supported to source alternative accommodation themselves and Dublin City Council will then endeavour to negotiate a RAS contract with the new landlord.

?

The spokeswoman said there were difficulties in obtaining alternative properties in a market of diminishing supply.

“To this end Dublin City Council is continuing to work with both landlords and the RAS tenants in trying to source alternative accommodation as quickly as possible,

? she added.