Over 1,400 people removed from housing list over ‘no response’

By Mary Dennehy

MORE than 1,400 people were removed from South Dublin County Council’s housing list as they “did not respond” to the recent social housing assessment.

According to the Department of Housing’s Summary of Social Housing Assessments for 2016, which was published in December, there were 5,562 households on the list in South Dublin County Council in October 2016.

This figure shows a significant decrease from the 9,119 households listed just five months earlier in May.

As reported in The Echo last month, answers were sought from South Dublin County Council concerning the disappearance of 3,557 households between May and October of last year.

In a reply to questions from The Echo, the local authority confirmed that 1,438 applicants were removed from the housing list as they did not respond to the recent social housing assessment, which is carried out every three years.

The figures also state that 577 applicants moved onto the HAP scheme, 104 were housed in social accommodation, 329 applicants assessed were deemed not eligible and 1,109 were applicants from other Dublin authority areas not included in South Dublin County Council’s social housing area.

Speaking with The Echo, Dublin Mid-West TD and Sinn Féin spokesperson on housing, Eoin Ó Broin said: “I would be concerned over the 329 people who are deemed not eligible. 

“Since the last social housing assessment the financial criteria has gotten stricter.

“In the past the council always applied a level of flexibility for people who were maybe €1,000 or €2,000 over the threshold.
“I’m concerned that people who experienced very modest increases in their income have been unfairly removed from the list and I would ask the Minister to review this.”

Deputy Ó Broin also raised his concerns over the 1,109 applicants removed as they were located in another local authority area.

According to Deputy Ó Broin, a lot of people who are on South Dublin County Council’s list were, due to the housing shortage, forced to move outside of the area in order to find housing, with the Clondalkin-based politician believing that these people should be moved onto the social housing list of the relevant local authority – with the numbers of the years they have been waiting for a home honoured.

In relation to the 1,438 applicants who did not respond and were subsequently removed, Deputy Ó Broin said: “I fully believe that some of these people that did not return a letter still need social housing.

“Some of these people may have led a transient life the past three years, they may have been in multiple rented properties, in homeless services or have literacy issues.

“I am calling on South Dublin County Council to do as Dublin City Council did and give people until March 31 to return their form.

“They also need to communicate this to people through a public advertising campaign.”
Anybody who has queries on the housing list can contact South Dublin County Council on 4149000.