Choice Based Lettings was described as being ‘not fit for purpose’ in rural areas
Local people should get first pick when it comes to social houses – that was the belief coming from the Councillors of the Comeragh District during their January meeting.
Raising the issue first in relation to Portlaw, Councillor Declan Clune said: “I was delighted to see that when 14 properties in Church Court [were listed on the Choice Based Letting scheme], when the nominations concluded, that there were a lot of local applicants on that.
“It something that all the members here at various times collectively have been pushing for a long time,” said Cllr. Clune.
“It’s so important to keep local families in local properties where possible, the likes of schools, clubs, shops etc., to keep them all going more than anything.
“I’m delighted that see so many properties in Church Court etc., are going to local families, because obviously that is freeing up other properties in the area to rent or buy.”
These comments raised the idea of Locals First, which received broad agreement from most of the Councillors present, with Fianna Fáil’s John O’Leary saying, “Councillors comes under a lot of pressure for houses to be allocated to locals, which the Councillors themselves would be in favour of, as moving from one village to the next in West Waterford can mean uprooting the entire family.
“There is an expectancy from us as the five councillors in the Comeragh District Area, where houses become available off the social housing list, there is a big demand and a lot of pressure put on local councillors to ensure that those houses are given to local people,” explained Cllr. O’Leary.
“I think we all share that view. It’s not the Housing Department’s policy. I think their policy is to give the houses to those who are longest on the housing list,” he said.
“The difficulty with that is, in a city area, if you get a house in one part of the town versus another, the distance is not great. But in a country situation where, for example, a house becomes available in a rural area, somebody from Dungarvan moving to Kilmeaden doesn’t make sense, or someone moving from Tramore to Lismore doesn’t make sense,” continued Cllr. O’Leary.
“The pressure will always be on us and we, as councillors, will always have to try and make sure that social housing which becomes available in the Comeragh District, insofar as we can, should be allocated to people who reside in those areas,” he added.
Not fit for purpose
Fine Gael’s, Liam Brazil, had stronger words for the housing allocation system, Choice Based Lettings, which allows social housing applicants to bid on available social housing.
“I’m delighted to see that the Kilmac’ convent is coming into use. But I would hope that those apartments will go to local people in the area,” said Cllr. Brazil.
“I don’t think Choice Based Letting is fit for purpose for small places, the likes of Kilmac’ and them places, because I believe those houses should be kept for local people.”
In response, a representative for the Housing Department, said the Strategic Policy Committee is already considering a motion to decide if locals should get first priority.
He went on to defend the process of allocating social housing generally. “Our houses are allocated in accordance with our allocation scheme which you would have adopted as a plenary council in 2024,” said the housing official.
“We have several methods of allocating houses within that and CBL is one. CBL would have come to prominence in letting properties effectively because we don’t get a lot of expressions of interest,” he said.
“We have examples from bidding patterns even from the Comeragh area where people don’t bid on some properties.
“Equally, people only get two refusals on direct allocation, so you don’t want to be forcing someone’s hand if they are not interested in a property.”
To conclude, he emphasised the importance of choice in the choice based system, although he explained the department were working to improve the transparency surrounding their processes.
“We would always be guarded in regards CBL’s first word is ‘choice’. Sometimes people with a lot of time on the list and local priority wait for the property they want to get and they only apply when that property comes up,” he explained.
“We’re equally trying to review how we might communicate with unsuccessful bidders, how the bidding went, information just to decode some of the mystery that we hear from yourselves,” the official added.
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
