Page 26 - Donegal CC An Rpt 19

Donegal County Council Annual Report 2019
Housing Services
Accessible, efficient and good value services and supports
The overall aim of our housing policy is
to enable every household to have an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment and, as far as possible, at a tenure of its choice.
The types of housing assistance provided during the year ranged from a combination of allocating tenancies under the Social Housing Programme (New Build, Turnkey, and Acquisitions), the Social Housing Leasing Programme, and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and transfers and approval
of supports via the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP). Assistance was also provided in conjunction with Approved Housing Bodies.
The Council continued to manage and maintain tenancies and dwellings and provide support to our tenants including the refurbishment and upgrading of dwellings and estates through a range of initiatives and programmes.
Grant assistance was provided to older people and people with disabilities under the Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant Scheme. Housing Loan options continued to be available
for first time buyers under the Rebuilding Ireland Loan Scheme.
Housing need
The Housing Needs Assessment undertaken at 24th June, 2019 identified that there were 2,488 households approved for Social Housing Support in County Donegal. 1,561 of these were already in receipt of social housing support, and were seeking transfers from existing Council houses or from HAP tenancies. Therefore the nett need in the County was 927.
The Council continues to strive to meet the needs of applicants using a combination
of allocating existing or new social housing stock, leased properties, accommodation acquired under RAS and HAP, as well as accommodation provided in conjunction with Approved Housing Bodies.
Housing Stock / Tenancies
At the end of 2019, the Council had responsibility for over 5,000 houses. Over €6.7 million was spent on maintaining
and improving our stock and estates
during the year. In addition to routine maintenance and repairs, this expenditure involved bringing vacant dwellings back to productive use, as well as various planned maintenance programmes such as the painting programme, the energy efficiency programme, and other specific remedial and refurbishment works.
Breakdown of housing stock
The Council carried out improvements to the Social Housing stock under a number of programmes in 2019 as set out below:
Fabric up-grade programme
Over 2,519 units have now had improvements carried out under this programme, which is aimed at improving
the energy efficiency of dwellings. Work continues in this regard, with 462 units completed in 2019. It is intended to have Phase 1 (Insulation works) completed during 2020. Over €4.3 million has been spent to date under this Programme.
Returning vacant properties to
productive use
The Council spent over €2.6 million returning 149 vacant properties to productive use. This included funding assistance of €.581 million from the Department of Housing, Planning &
Local Authority owned units
4,856
Long Term Leased units (Private)
170
Total
5,026