Agenda Item 65 MEETING OF DÚN LAOGHAIRE AREA COMMITTEE 22nd September 2014 BOARDED UP SOCIAL HOUSING UNITS
Question:
Councillor M. Merrigan
“To ask the Chief Executive to indicate the number, type and current status of all boarded up and vacant social housing units in the Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire and Killiney/Shankill Local Electoral Areas and to indicate, in each case, the length of time the unit has been unoccupied and when it is envisaged that these badly needed social housing units will be refurbished and allocated to persons on the County Council Housing Waiting List?” Reply: At the 12th September 2014, the Housing Department is managing a total of 4,271 properties with a further 217 properties being managed by voluntary bodies on behalf of the Council. At the 12th September 2014, the Housing Department had 17 vacant dwellings in the Blackrock, Dún Laoghaire and Killiney/Shankill Local Electoral Areas, that form the area of the Dún Laoghaire Area Committee: Number of properties for Inspection and Repair Number of Properties Available for Relet Number of Properties needing major works/structural repair/major refurbishment Total number of Vacant Properties
5 9 3
17
Of the total of 14 units in the categories for inspection & repair and available for reletting, six properties have been accepted and eight properties are on offer to applicants in accordance with the Council’s Allocation Scheme. For the period from the 1st January 2014 to the 31st August 2014, the turnaround time from the date the key is surrendered to the date of re-let is 13 weeks. There are also seven Rental Accommodation Scheme properties on offer in accordance with the Council’s Allocation Scheme. Every effort is made to ensure that vacant dwellings are made available for letting at the earliest possible date, however various factors can affect the length of time a dwelling remains vacant. The Council use the opportunity of a vacant dwelling to upgrade its condition before re-letting it. These works can involve installation of new windows, rewiring, heating system upgrade/replacement, smoke alarms, attic insulation, external maintenance works as well as internal decorative works.
Contact: Mary Ruane and Ann Hegarty, Senior Executive Officers
Document Pack Page 147