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2,100 Donegal families need
housing
03.04.13
SOME 2,100 families are
currently waiting to be housed in Co Donegal, new
figures show.
The figures from Clúid Housing Association show that
housing associations are increasingly taking a
central role in meeting housing need due to the
recession.
Housing associations are independent not-for-profit
organisations that provide affordable housing for
people from local authority housing waiting lists.
Clúid head of policy, Simon Brooke told Inishowen
News: “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.
“Innovation will be key to future growth as new
housing procurement routes are established and
developed.”
Clúid is one of the largest housing associations in
Ireland, currently delivering 3,664 homes to low
income families and single people, older people,
people with a disability and Traveller families all
over Ireland. It says the Government’s Housing
Policy Statement, published in June 2011 placed
housing associations "at the heart of the
Government’s vision for social housing provision".
“The housing association sector is undergoing a
massive change. Housing provided by housing
associations is no longer 100% funded by the
government. In fact capital spending on the
provision of social housing in Ireland was cut by a
huge 72% 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," Mr Brooke added.
He said Clúid recently procured housing through
leasing schemes.
“There is a significant amount of new, unoccupied
housing left over from the previously buoyant
property market around the country. This provides an
opportunity for housing associations to get involved
in long term leasing, in turn providing housing to
those in need.
“There are also local authority owned unsold
affordable housing, originally built for sale by
local authorities as affordable homes to people who
could not afford to buy on the open market. Due to
the downturn, some of these properties could no
longer be sold. These can be made available to
housing associations to house people in need." |
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