BIG READ: More than 3,500 are on the local authority housing waiting list in Tipperary

More than 3,500 are on the local authority housing waiting list in Tipperary, this newspaper can reveal.

Information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act shows that just over 3,500 people were on the waiting list for local authority housing in Tipperary earlier this year. 

Local Councillor Fiona Bonfield (Lab) has called on the government to show a sense of urgency to address the housing crisis, which is impacting people across Tipperary and Ireland.

Tipperary County Council highlighted a number of measures it is implementing to address the issue, while a spokesperson for the local authority also highlighted the need for national measures to ensure an adequate supply of housing. 

Speaking to this newspaper, Cllr Bonfield said: “The Government shows no sense of urgency in addressing these issues while renters live in a constant state of anxiety.

“‘Housing for All’ was the solution we were told, ‘Housing for All’ is the biggest state spend on housing ever, ‘Housing for All’ will increase housing supply, bring down prices, and tackle the homeless crisis.

“One year on, and ‘Housing for All' doesn't match the spin,” she added. 

“It is rapidly failing fast.

“We are no longer at crisis point, instead we have plummeted into chaos. 

“House prices have gone up by 14 percent. 

“This, coupled by the lack of supply is leaving a whole generation locked out of home ownership,” explained Cllr Bonfield.

“The Land Development Agency (LDA) and local authorities need to get back to direct building of social housing in sufficient numbers to meet identified needs rather than retaining faith in a private sector-led housing model that has clearly failed to deliver affordable homes. 

“Too much of our social housing needs are met through HAP, RAS and the insecure private rented sector. 

“We are paying the mortgage of investors and leaving the state with no assets at the end of long term leases.”

Tipperary County Council confirmed to this newspaper that around 45 percent of the 3,520 applicants are in receipt of a form of social housing support, including the housing assistance payment scheme (HAP), the rental accommodation scheme (RAS) or are on the transfer list for another local authority or housing body. 

A spokesperson for the Council said it is taking steps to address the housing waiting list in the county. 

“We have exceeded our previous five-year social housing delivery target of 654 units in terms of new units delivered from 2018 to 2021 under the ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ programme by delivering 865 units in total, notwithstanding the disruption by Covid in 2020 and 2021,” they said.

In total, over the next five-year new build programme we expect to deliver a minimum of  1,125 new units under the government’s Housing for All plan 2022-2026. 

“Taken in conjunction with the annual void units delivered back to the housing stock (roughly 150 units per annum), the Council is expecting that the main net social housing demand will have been met by 2026 and exceeded,” the spokesperson added.

“We are currently satisfied that we are on a trajectory to meet this target notwithstanding issues caused by Covid-19, Brexit, inflation, labour pinches and supply chain challenges.

“We have been given some additional flexibility to purchase a number of properties in respect of Notice to Quit tenants and are actively following this up.”

Tipperary County Council has also implemented Choice Based Letting (CBL), an online system whereby housing applicants can express an interest in a specific local authority property that becomes available for letting. 

“The system has been in place since March and has reduced the number of people that are refusing properties as it gives people a choice as to where they want to reside,” the Council spokesperson explained.

“We have two dedicated HAP place-finders in the Council whose role is to assist people source private rented accommodation and supported by the housing assistant payment.”

The spokesperson added the local authority is also exploring how to deliver the affordable housing options recently introduced by the government, including the affordable housing fund, first home scheme, cost rental homes and affordable housing loans, in Tipperary to address the needs of those who do not meet the criteria for social housing. 

Other schemes recently introduced by the government that the Council states it is actively implementing include the Buy and Renew scheme and the Repair and Lease scheme.

 The Council spokesperson said that, even with the measures taken by the local authority, “there are additional actions required nationally to address housing challenges”. 

“The key issue is housing supply,” the spokesperson said.

“As noted above, there is a clear set demand for social housing which is being met through our targeted five-year plan. 

“But no such implementation plan is in place for private housing with little or no significant private housing development occurring in this rural county.

“If the private market starts to move, it can facilitate a churn in the market which improves supply and helps address demand,” they added.

The spokesperson also highlighted an exodus of private landlords as a concern.

“There has been an exodus of small - one and two unit - landlords exiting the private rental market for a number of reasons,” they explained.

“One of the key reasons is that the cost of supplying, managing and meeting relevant standards for a private rental exceeds the value to the landlord as they operate on a small scale.

“Small landlords are vital to rural areas,” they added.

“Councils in rural areas depend on the provision of private rented accommodation for certain cohorts of the population, such as HAP clients in villages and towns where there is no significant demand to warrant a building programme, and for those who cannot access HAP supports but who do not have the financial means to purchase a house. 

“Such accommodation helps to maintain the vitality of these rural areas and retains and reinforces the important social and familial links that such individuals bring to their communities.  

The spokesperson highlighted the need for more nuanced policy in the area to ensure that ‘value for money’ is not the only determining factor by the government in facilitating and enabling private rented delivery. 

“They need to ensure that by addressing the genuine urgent need for such units in urban locations, they do not destroy the opportunity for smaller landlords in rural areas to meet that rural need,” they said. 

The Council spokesperson also highlighted the need for income limits to be tackled.

“While it will impact on numbers on the waiting list, it is currently set at an inappropriate level in Tipperary leading to very significant difficulties facing working families who are unable to afford a unit in the private market,” they explained.

The spokesperson also emphasised the opportunities afforded by vacant unit incentives.

“There has been some very welcome improvement in utilising incentives for the re-use of vacant buildings as referenced above,” they revealed.

“There is still a very significant level of unforeseen work in trying to progress a unit from initial identification to full use and greater resources in this area would be welcomed.”

In a statement to this newspaper, The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, said “Housing for All is making significant progress in delivering housing for Tipperary”.

“When we launched Housing for All our aim was that everyone should have access to a home to purchase or rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard and in the right place. 

“We backed that with a guaranteed over €4 billion a year in housing investment and a series of actions to deliver 300,000 new homes by 2030, including 90,000 social homes and 54,000 affordable homes. 

“While there’s a lot of work still to do, we can see already, after the first 12 months that the plan is working in Tipperary and across the country,” added Minister O’Brien. 

The Minister highlighted measures in Tipperary arising from Housing for All including 376 new homes built in Tipperary in the 12 months to the end of June 2022, a 26.2% increase on the previous 12 months.

He also stated that commencement notices for 525 homes were received in Tipperary in the 12 months to the end of July 2022, an 82.9% increase on the previous 12 months. 

Meanwhile, planning permission applications for more than 1,300 homes were received/approved??????????? In Tipperary up to the end of Q1 this year, and approval has been granted for five new posts in Tipperary County Council for local authority housing delivery.

An exemption from planning permission requirements for converting vacant Tipperary pubs into homes has also been introduced. 

In 2021, the Government provided €58.48m in total funding for housing to Tipperary County Council, an increase of 18% on 2020 and, in the same year, 177 new social homes were delivered.

There was also a 40 percent reduction in the number of households on the social housing waiting list in Tipperary at the end of 2021 compared to the first annual assessment conducted in September 2016.

Minister O’Brien highlighted other key measures delivered through Housing for All that he said will benefit the people Tipperary, including the newly expanded local authority home loan, the launch of the First Home Scheme, new legislation on tenancies of unlimited duration and significant funding made available by Government to assist local authority affordable housing delivery, for purchase and rent, through the Affordable Housing Fund.

He also highlighted the introduction of a Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant to incentivise the refurbishment of vacant homes in Tipperary, Fair Deal Scheme reforms and the Town Centre First policy to reduce vacancy, a new National Housing Strategy for people with a disability, and reformed planning process for large-scale developments in Tipperary and elsewhere. 

Minister O’Brien pointed to plans to tax to activate vacant land zoned for housing, commencing in 2024, as well as measures to increase construction sector capacity in Tipperary, including greater investment to increase the availability of apprenticeships and training.

Commenting on the role of local authorities in delivering housing in Tipperary, the Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, Peter Burke TD, said: “Tipperary County Council is playing a central role in delivering housing in the county. 

“Over the past 12 months the Government has provided resources and funding to the council to help it deliver for people in Tipperary. 

“I’ve recently issued guidelines to Tipperary County Council on the making of their county development plan to ensure it takes into account projected housing need so that sufficient new homes can be built in key areas of housing demand,” he added.

“We have also streamlined the processes for the procurement of social housing.”