WHILE Wexford County Council’s imminent implementation of Alternative Primarily based Letting was broadly welcomed by elected members of the council, some have now expressed grave issues that this implementation is inflicting individuals to be downgraded on the social housing checklist.
hoice primarily based letting is a brand new scheme which permits social housing candidates to go on and look at out there housing inventory on-line earlier than making a request for it. The property would then be allotted in line with wants and size of time on the housing checklist.
Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Sheehan says that in current weeks individuals have obtained letters from the council to say that whereas they might beforehand have been on an inventory for a three-bed home, by advantage of the truth that they’ve two youngsters of the identical intercourse that may share a room, they’re not eligible for a three-bed and have been positioned on the two-bed checklist.
Given the persistent scarcity of 1 and two-bed properties, which means that they are going to now possible be even additional away from being allotted an area authority home.
On the Jaunary assembly of Wexford County Council, Cllr Sheehan requested for clarification that no person had been faraway from the three-bed checklist and positioned on the 2 bed-list because of the change to selection primarily based letting.
Housing Director Carolyne Godkin mentioned it was one thing the council “must hold beneath evaluate”.
“We’re now implementing a coverage, however did not state the implication of this coverage,” he mentioned. “I might ask that it’s suspended till we feature out a full evaluate.”
Ms Godkin harassed that “pulling the scheme” solely was not the way in which to go, as it could imply that no homes may very well be allotted for the foreseeable.
Chair of the Housing SPC (Strategic Coverage Committee) Cllr Joe Sullivan was equally sad with the scenario.
“We did focus on selection primarily based letting, but it surely was by no means my understanding that individuals may very well be reassessed and downgraded because of it. I feel we have to droop the issuing of those letters till we get readability of how this may work.”
Cllr Sheehan referred to as for all letters on this regard to be “rescinded”.
“That is nonsense,” he mentioned. “A number of the letters issued haven’t landed but both. We have to allocate homes as regular. We shouldn’t be telling individuals on the three-bed checklist that they’ve to return to a two-bed by advantage of the very fact they’ll match two children in a single room.”
Ms Godkin harassed that this was purely depending on youngsters being of the identical intercourse and related age, in addition to the scale of the rooms concerned.
She concluded by saying: “I’ll pause additional letters being issued, we’ll evaluate among the queries which have been made and we will decide then if you wish to change the scheme down the road.”
“This can come again to hang-out us,” Cllr Sheehan warned ominously.
