Tuesday, 8th July 2014
- €2.8 million to renovate vacant units across Cork City and County will create homes for 179 families.
- Cork City Council is to be allocated more than €1.5 million in Government funding to turn 92 vacant units across the city into homes
- Cork County Council is to receive almost €1.2 million to refurbish 87 housing units.
- Nationally €15 million has been allocated nationally to bring 1,008 vacant local authority units into use.
Refurbishing vacant houses so that they can again be used as homes is fundamental to meeting demands for social housing. In recent years a high number of local authority homes in Cork have been left vacant and boarded up, which is a complete waste. This funding will help turn vacant units back into homes for 179 families.
The Government is allocating €1,585,000 to Cork City Council, which will allow work to be carried out on 92 vacant properties, so they can be brought back into use. Cork County Council will receive €1,181,000 which will turn 87 vacant units into homes.
Less than three months ago the Government announced €1,280,000 to help City Council renovate 94 houses. At that time almost €1 million was allocated to Cork County Council to refurbish 68 units. This represents significant investment to help tackle the housing waiting lists.
It has been reported that there were 520 vacant units across Cork City, taking both rounds of funding into account, funding has been provided to renovate 186 units. This will return 35% of all vacant units back into family homes.
So far this year, €30 million has been invested nationally on the refurbishment of vacant local authority houses. This programme will increase our social housing supply quickly and I hope that both City and County Councils can use this funding as soon as possible to deliver homes for 341 families.
Not only will this funding provide homes for families it will also create much needed jobs. I am pleased that Councils are being encouraged to use community based organisations who recruit, train and engage long-term unemployed people for the refurbishment programme.