WATERFORD CITY & COUNTY COUNCIL EXCEEDS HOUSING TARGETS
- 912 additional households supported in 2018 – 147% of target
- 294 homes added to the Council’s social housing stock – 18% more than target
- New stock includes 119 builds
- 100 leased properties – the highest in the country
- 598 additional households supported though HAP/RAS
Figures released by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government show 912 additional households were supported though social housing solutions in 2018 in Waterford, representing 147% of the Council’s Rebuilding Ireland target set for the year.
Under the Rebuilding Ireland Programme, annual targets are set for each local authority area. Local authorities are responsible for monitoring and delivering on these targets, including through collaboration with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). In 2018, 22 local authorities exceeded their overall Rebuilding Ireland targets.
Reacting to the figures, Ivan Grimes, Director of Housing, Community and Emergency Services said, “Local authorities take the lead in addressing the very difficult issues faced in housing. We are absolutely committed to meeting the challenge, and the 2018 figures leave no doubt that we are delivering on our targets and making crucial progress for the individuals and families we support.
“As the figures show, social housing output is increasing year-on-year. Working in partnership with AHBs and the Department of Housing, the Council will continue to increase our capacity and accelerate our delivery.”
Last year, a total of 294 new homes were added to Waterford’s social housing stock though build, acquisition or long-term leasing. This represents 45 more homes than had been targeted.
Ivan Grimes pointed out that, “Local authority housing, once built or acquired, is state-owned; it is an investment that will continue to provide for those in need of housing into the future. Local authorities currently own and manage more than 130,000 homes around the country, each additional unit provided by local authorities is added to that stock. That is why it is so important to ensure the homes we deliver are well-planned, built to last, of high-quality, and situated within communities and with nearby services.
Last year, Waterford City & Council entered leases for 100 individual properties, the highest number achieved by any local authority. “Using the Repair & Lease Scheme, which this Council originated, and other Long Term Leasing Schemes, we have specifically targeted houses and apartments which were vacant in areas of high demand. Reducing the numbers of vacant houses and bringing them back into use for the provision of social housing is a key priority for the Council.”
“While we build up our stock of social housing, supports like the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), administered through local authorities, provide us with a flexible way to provide accommodation for those in need.” In 2018, local authorities supported 18,681 additional households though HAP and RAS, 598 of those households were in Waterford.
