'Getting an apartment was like winning the lotto', says family in Cork
Daanya and Saima Hossain, at the Cluid housing project, Rutland Square, White Street, Cork. Daanya, 8, was diagnosed with Rett syndrome at 13 months. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Happy cries bounced around Rutland Square in Cork city as little Daanya Hossain turned on the Christmas lights for her neighbours at the Clúid housing association’s Christmas gathering there.
Exhausted after suffering 10 seizures that day, she then fell asleep in her pram while presents were handed out to enthusiastic children to celebrate many of their first Christmas at the square.
Daanya, 8, was diagnosed with Rett syndrome at 13 months, a rare genetic neurological and developmental disorder that affects brain development, causing a progressive loss of motor skills and speech resulting in severe mental and physical disability.
Her parents, Saima and Delowar Hossain struggled to care for her full-time while also working — Saima in a shop and Delowar as a chef — to support themselves.
Despite their best efforts, their previous home was so small they had to return equipment lent to Daanya by her school to help her because it did not fit.
Saima was getting increasingly bad back pain from lifting her daughter upstairs and into the shower because her wheelchair would not fit in the bathroom.
When a social worker visited, he told them to apply for social housing and helped with their application.
Luckily for the family, that application was successful. Their lives have been transformed since they moved into a ground floor apartment with space for Daanya’s equipment and her wheelchair in Rutland Square.
The new, high-end development stands on a site off White Street. What was once a garage and local authority car park now contains 43 homes with 21 one-bed apartments; 16 two-bed and six three-bed houses; a little park and a playground. Clúid manages the scheme for Cork City Council.
“We moved in three months ago and it’s fantastic. I don’t believe where we were before and where we are now. It’s totally changed my life and I’m so grateful,” Saima said.
“In the last house Daanya couldn’t move, she couldn’t look out the window. I was getting back pain from lifting her.
"Now she has a playground outside. There’s a big shower room I can take her into. The neighbours are very helpful. We have a WhatsApp group if anyone needs help."
Life before the move was a struggle for the Hossains.
Daanya, who was born in Ireland and had developed normally as a child up to 13 months when she suddenly became ill and was later diagnosed with Rett syndrome.
“It was really hard for us to hear that she would never walk or talk. We had no family here to help.
“We had to cope and try our best to mind her by ourselves,” Saima said.
When they moved into their new home this year, their neighbours brought them flowers, chocolates, fluffy pyjamas and a soft toy for Daanya to welcome them.
“Daanya is so much happier here,” Saima said.
“We can go out and watch the other kids playing outside. Daanya can’t play but she loves to watch them. She smiles. When she smiles, we know she’s happy.”
Her neighbour and friend, Michelle Meaney, said that she and her family are hoping to begin their own Christmas traditions at their apartment in Rutland Square this month.
Getting an apartment at the development “was like winning the lotto” and has been life-changing for her, her husband and their young son, Zaid, 6, who has Down Syndrome.
Safety, security, and space have been the most valuable aspects of life at Rutland Square she said.
Within one month, she saw a huge improvement in her son’s development.
“My son has a disability and for us to have the space for him to move around freely is life-changing,” Michelle said.
"He didn’t have space to move or run or climb before. Physically it was really affecting his progress. As soon as we moved there was a difference in him, you could see it straight away
“And it’s a lovely community. There’s a wonderful atmosphere and everyone has time to say a quick ‘hello’.
“There are probably lots of people here who can’t go home for Christmas, can’t see their families.
“I can’t go home to my family in Tipperary. So to have this community feeling here is amazing. It lifts you.
“Especially during Covid, to have everyone outside together in a safe way, it means a lot.”
Having housing associations like Clúid plugging some of the gaping holes in the housing market is “critical” she said.
For six years, she and her family had struggled to survive in unsuitable, privately rented accommodation. Although they had tried to move, as a family with a disabled child they could not even get a viewing for a property, she said.
“There was no support. We couldn’t even get a viewing. So to have organisations that are providing houses is so important. Hundreds of thousands of houses are not going to pop up out of nowhere. And people need a chance.”
Ger Deegan, manager with Clúid South West, said that the Christmas gathering at Rutland Square “brings light to a dark time.” He commended the residents for organising the event which brought neighbours together as a community.
Housing officer Davina Mooney said that the housing project has transformed people’s lives, some of whom will be able to enjoy stable, safe accommodation for the first time this Christmas.
But she said that providing housing is not Clúid’s only goal, they also want to build communities around those homes.
Clúid currently manage 439 homes in Cork city which keeps more than 530 people in secure accommodation. It also owns more than 680 homes throughout the county where a further 1,000 residents live.
Clúid have secured planning for 112 more housing units in Blackpool with works due to commence shortly.
Schemes are also planed for Mahon and Douglas.
All Clúid schemes are delivered in partnership and the local authority retains 100% nomination rights for the homes.
Clúid will also deliver Ireland’s second mix tenure development of cost rental and social homes on the Lancaster Gate site in the city centre.
The 88 new apartments will consist of 73 cost rental and 15 social homes. When complete, the scheme will be a mixed tenure community of one-, two-, and three-bedroom properties. Under the Government’s Cost Rental Scheme, cost rents must be a minimum of 25% below open market values. Monthly rent for Clúid’s Lancaster Gate, Lancaster Quay homes will start at €990 per month – approximately 45% below local market rates.
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