Criticism of 'fragmented' approach to social housing

THE GOVERNMENT is spending almost €1.5 billion a year on a “haphazard and fragmented” approach to social housing which amounts to “social welfare for property owners”, a housing campaign group claimed yesterday.

Launching its Housing For Need Not Greedreport, the Tenants First organisation called for the replacement of rent assistance and tax-break schemes with a new fund "to provide homes that people can call their own".

The report said rent supplement paid to landlords cost the State almost €391 million last year, while housing, renewal and property tax incentives amounted to €639 million. “Stamp duty loopholes” – identified by the Revenue Commissioners in 2006 – cost a further €450 million.

Report author Brian Dillon of Tenants First said meeting housing needs “should not be a difficult task – and will only cost a fraction of the resources already diverted to landowners and developers”.

He called for a €3 billion fund to be set up for a 10-year programme to regenerate housing and develop new communities.

He said regeneration schemes based on public-private partnerships (PPPs) provided good interaction between professional planners, local authorities, architects and private developers. However, while this had resulted in innovative plans being drawn up the process collapsed in five areas in Dublin last year, including St Michael’s Estate, O’Devaney Gardens, Dominick Street and Croke Villas.

At that time initial planning phases for Dolphin House, St Teresa’s Gardens, Charlemont Street and Limerick now faced “a very uncertain future”, he said.

“The PPPs . . . enthrusted the provision of public housing to private developer interests,” he said, adding that the conditions in estates in Limerick and Dublin were “now far worse” than when regeneration was first mentioned.

He said locals whose hopes had been raised were now more dispirited. “The issues of maintenance are being neglected, areas are being de-tenanted, rundown and left in a mess.

“People are depressed and fearful, with a huge increase in anti-social behaviour, violence, drugs, etc. A lot of services are closed, especially at night when people need them most.”

According to Mr Dillon, “nowhere else in the world is pursuing policies that this Government insists on using”.

“It makes no business sense at all. The Government is spending billions on ineffective housing policies that do not provide long-term, sustainable housing for people.”

Also speaking at the launch, Dr John Bissett, author of Regeneration: Public Good or Private Profit, said people's houses were being repossessed, there was widespread rent arrears, and housing lists were getting longer.

“Yet Minister John Gormley shows no sign of changing direction or using a more efficient approach to housing that focuses on housing need instead of money-making rackets for developers and landlords.”

Tenants First is seeking to unite community development projects, drugs task forces, youth and community groups, trade unions and voluntary groups in favour of its campaign.