Social housing loses out as landlords wait for NAMA deal
Shocked TDs with the Oireachtas Social and Family Affairs Committee were told efforts to get families off rent supplement and onto long-term social housing schemes were being hampered by landlords refusing to make houses and apartments available.
Up to 94,000 people are on rent supplement, however, in excess of half of these claimants have been getting payments for more than a year, a situation regarded as unsuitable by the department.
Despite efforts to get families onto long-term housing schemes like the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or social leasing through local authorities, landlords were reluctant to commit, TDs were told.
Department of Environment principle officer Eddie Lewis said tenants were ready as were the funds, but he added: “They [landlords] are not prepared to make a move at this point... some people did expect to do better [with NAMA] and maybe held off.”
Mr Lewis agreed with Labour’s Roisin Shortall that landlords or developers “obviously expect to do better on NAMA”.
Department officials admitted to TDs they were “beating the bushes” in efforts to get properties for long-term housing schemes and had even approached financial institutions about freeing up units.
The RAS was introduced in 2004 as a way to reduce housing claimants dependent on rent supplement. But rent supplement claimants have actually doubled to more than 94,000 over the last two years, the committee were told.
There were savings to be made for the State getting less well-off families onto long-term housing schemes and through local authorities rather than handing money to developers and landlords, said Ms Shortall.
“There is no need to wait for NAMA. There are vast amounts of vacant units around the country.”
Fine Gael Senator Nicky McFadden also said: “The idea that we’re waiting for NAMA is a complete joke... there are perfectly good properties for people.”
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