Council scheme aims to cut housing waiting list

A LOCAL authority is offering fully furnished and fully equipped apartments in Ireland’s longest building to entice people in to a multi-million euro house downsizing scheme.

Cork city council threw open the doors of Atkins Hall on the Lee Road yesterday to show off the apartments it is marketing under its €24 million downsizing scheme.

The council bought 96 apartments — a mix of one and two bedroom units — in the development last year.

They have been refurbished and fully kitted out with furniture and white goods over the last few months.

The council meanwhile wrote to 450 of its tenants, mostly elderly, that it deems are living in accommodation that’s too big for them and offered them accommodation in Atkins Hall.

The council will then take over the vacated council homes and offer them to families on the housing waiting list.

But council spokesman, Brian Geaney, said they are also anxious to encourage private home owners to consider taking part in the scheme.

The council will buy their homes at below market value and offer them a life-long tenancy in Atkins Hall.

For people over 60, the council will pay two-thirds the market value for their home.

People aged over 60 will get more money calculated using a complex formula.

Mr Geaney said the council’s €24m investment demonstrated its commitment to the scheme.

“We are keen to market it. And we hope to be in a position to have people moving in by November or December of this year.”

It is hoped that up to 60 private houses throughout the city could be made available through the initiative.

There are more than 5,000 people on the council’s housing waiting list.