Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 June 2012
16 Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps he is taking to ensure that housing secured for leasing under the National Asset Management Agency will not leave tenants isolated from community and services. [31217/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra31 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reasons properties offered by the National Asset Management Agency for leasing were deemed unsuitable. [31216/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra43 Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will give an update on the development of the National Asset Management Agency properties for social housing; and if he will endeavour to secure housing from NAMA for local authority ownership. [31205/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 31 and 43 together.
Since the announcement in December 2011 that NAMA would commit to providing up to 2,000 units for social housing by the end of 2012, my Department, the Housing Agency and NAMA have been working together with housing authorities and approved housing bodies towards achieving this target. The units being advanced through NAMA will in general be provided through the Social Housing Leasing Initiative under the standard terms and conditions that apply.
To date over 2,000 units have been examined with a view to determining their suitability for social housing. Of the original number, 701 have been deemed unsuitable by housing authorities. Housing authorities assess the suitability of these properties with regard to location, local demand, the nature of the accommodation and sustainable community principles.
A further 372 have been withdrawn, usually by property owners, as circumstances have changed. In some cases the properties concerned have been let on the open market or sold and are no longer available as vacant units.
At present demand has been confirmed for nearly 1,200 available units and these are currently being processed. It is important to note that while demand has been confirmed in respect of practically all residential developments proposed by NAMA, the requirement to provide for an appropriate mix of tenures and to avoid undue segregation in housing means that local authorities will only ever deem a certain proportion of units within individual developments suitable for social housing. Discussion and negotiation has commenced in respect of these properties involving approved housing bodies, local authorities, the property owners, financial institutions, receivers and other relevant parties.
Of these 1,200 properties, contracts are signed in respect of 58 units, 405 of these units are at various stages of the approval process and 719 are being appraised. It is expected that units will be tenanted in the second half of the year. NAMA continues to work with a view to identifying additional units suitable for inclusion in the programme.
