There were 575 applications for 13 three-bedroom cost-rental homes in Swords in just three days, according to Approved Housing Body Respond.
Homes in the Cronan’s Well development will have rent of €1,654 per month under the Cost Rental housing scheme. All Cost Rental rents are set at a minimum of 25 per cent below the market rents in the area where the homes are located. The scheme is open to people who do not qualify for social housing but whose net household income is less than €66,000 per annum.
The homes are fitted with modern appliances and are classified with BER rating A2. Respond spokesperson Niamh Randall said: "The homes are designed to meet the needs of families who need secure, affordable accommodation in an area with excellent amenities and transport links.”
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While the new homes have been welcomed, councillors have said there are “not enough of them”.
Sinn Fein Cllr for Swords Ann Graves said that while these 13 three-bedroom homes are welcomed, “it’s a drop in the ocean” and it's nowhere near what we need to be delivering”. She added: “It's great to see some sort of movement, however, there's going to be so many people disappointed because the demand is so high because of the housing crisis. There's just not enough of them.”
The councillor also criticised the Government for their €1bn underspend on housing from 2020 to 2022. “They're not really acting like there's a crisis.” She also said the monthly rent of €1,654 for a family on under €66,000 is “not really affordable” if the cost of living, electricity bills, food and other expenses are taken into account. She added: "I know it's tied into the average rent, but the average rents are way too high anyway.”
Labour Party Cllr James Humphreys said that despite the main idea behind the cost rental homes being to moderate the private market, “delivering them that slow isn’t going to achieve that goal”. He added: “If their goal was to tackle the rising cost of rental, drip feeding cost rental like this isn’t going to have an impact on the overall market.”
Fianna Fail Cllr Darragh Butler meanwhile said: “Obviously there is a massive demand. I think Minister Darragh O'Brien is doing a great job and we are starting to see more and more opportunities like this rolling out to people… We are seeing more and more house completions. I do think what the government has been attempting to do over the last few years, we're starting to see that bear fruit now.”
Applications for the cost rental homes in Cronan's Well, Swords are now open and interested parties can apply through Respond’s official website. You can read more about other housing schemes on Fingal County Council’s official website.
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