Bid to seize vacant houses in Waterford to combat crisis

Waterford councillors have called on the local authority to consider seizing derelict properties under Compulsory Purchase Orders to combat the county’s housing crisis.

A motion tabled by Cllr Mary Roche (Ind) and a similar joint proposal by Fianna Fáil councillors Jason Murphy and Adam Wyse raised the measure at July’s plenary meeting.

Ms Roche said: “Effectively he is suggesting that instead of Nama selling off huge tracts of property at low market value to vulture funds, the State could purchase them at similar prices for social housing.

“If we can CPO properties for roads, then why not for housing?”

Ms Roche said CPOs offer a faster solution than building houses, with just 33 houses going to tender in Waterford City this year, while the county has a housing list exceeding 2,000.

There are almost 8,000 vacant properties in Waterford — 15% of all properties. Ms Roche said many were in areas well serviced by social and transport systems.

Mr Murphy said purchasing derelict properties held extended advantages such as removing eyesores, curbing antisocial behaviour, and rejuvenating town centres, as well as being environmentally efficient by bringing families nearer to places of work. “Restoration would not be subject to lengthy planning delays either.”

Director of services for housing, Ivan Grimes, said the council is already progressing a purchase policy with negotiations on acquiring an abandoned city apartment complex. “We are also talking with estate agents and developers across the city and county with a view to converting properties into social housing,” he said.

Mr Grimes said he would need to seek legal advice as to whether a full CPO course could be pursued but believed “national action” would have to pre-empt it.