A Dublin City Councillor has criticised council officials’ decision to reject NAMA social housing offers because of concerns about ‘tenure mix.’
Cllr. Éilis Ryan (Workers’ Party, North Inner City), was responding to reports that Dublin City Council rejected over a quarter of properties offered to it by NAMA in 2016 because of concerns around ‘tenure mix.’
Cllr. Éilis Ryan
Cllr. Ryan said: “In one particular case, the council judged a development to be suitable for social housing, and accepted 48 homes in the development. It is difficult to justify how it could then go on to reject 150 properties in the exact same location, because of concerns about so-called ‘tenure mix.’
Social problems are caused by inequality, unemployment and a lack of facilities – not housing tenure.”
The councillor also argued that many of the homes rejected by the council will now be bought up by landlords and rented to tenants in receipt of rent supplement, saying:
“Over half of all purchases in 2016 were made by cash buyers. Limiting the amount of social housing in a certain area does nothing to create a social mix – it simply leaves more homes available for landlords – and more tenants in unaffordable, insecure private rented accommodation.”
Cllr. Ryan called for councillors to be given the right to accept or reject which NAMA properties the council purchases.
“All offers of public housing made by NAMA – or any other seller – should be brought before Dublin City Councillors for decision – and city councillors must make clear that no further properties should be rejected because of ‘tenure mix.’”