More powers needed to tackle housing crisis

Stronger CPO powers for local authorities could bring vacant properties, derelict sites, and underused spaces into use, writes Barry Cowen

IT’S been nine months since the Government launched its Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness to much fanfare. However, the publication of three recent reports — on the acceleration in house price inflation and continuing rental inflation in 2017 and on lack of progress being made on new social housing construction — demonstrates that the plan is failing the key litmus test of expanding new housing supply.

Housing Minister Simon Coveney continues to ignore areas which could deliver significant new housing while introducing pro-cyclical measures that are causing extreme house price and rent inflation and are creating the conditions for the next housing bubble.