Government has opened Public Consultation on a review of it’s housing strategy – Rebuilding Ireland.
Homelessness is at an all time high, families are in distress and the plans of Rebuilding Ireland are simply not solving the problem. This review is an opportunity for citizens and communities to express their view, and this should be done.
I believe that it is time to revert to having Local Authorities build directly, on their own lands.
Cork County Council has many sites that are suitable for construction.
The Cobh Municipal District Council has already identified the lands at Ballynoe, on the north side of Cobh town, and are asking that up to 230 social/public houses be built there immediately.
Public housing will save the state money – it will avoid the expensive cost of emergency accommodation and also reduce HAP and RAS payments to private landlords. If the initial capital funds are not available then they can be provided by an off-balance-sheet vehicle, leaving the Council to pay only the cost of servicing a loan until it is cleared.
Servicing the finance cost of social housing rather than paying private landlords ever increasing rents will save the Councils money.
House prices are increasing at the rate of €2,000 per month, it is impossible for most families to even consider such expenditure. The private housing market has failed the people, we must not allow families to be held hostage to the next property bubble.
The closing date for submissions on the review is the 11th August.
The Governments information document is available here.
The template for making a submission is available here.