Clúid, an Approved Housing Body says it regrets that 14 households have been unable to move into their homes in Letterkenny, and says they are updating them as the situation progresses.
The AHB says it is working in partnership with Donegal County Council and the developer of the homes to try to find a solution.
Meanwhile, the council is stressing it is not acquiring the development, although the houses will be used for applicants on its waiting list.
The council says the issue appears to be that houses were offered before the drawdown of government funding was finalised.
In a statement, the council says Local authorities act as agents of the Department locally, and the Approved Housing Bodies would work through them in the first instance. The process, officials say, has worked very well in Donegal over the years, with over 1,000 houses having been provided.
One of the conditions of funding is that the houses are allocated to households on the social housing waiting list, but in this instance the AHB issued letters of allocation to the highest placed eligible households before all the due diligence had been satisfied in respect of the drawdown of Department funding.
The Council says it understands that the AHB is now delaying the handing out of keys pending completion of the funding process, and expresses disappointment that the AHB issued such allocation letters prematurely.
The Council says it has sought an urgent meeting with the senior officials of the AHB to discuss the matter, and is briefing the households who have been offered the houses,on the situation.
******************
Council statement in full –
Approved Housing Body project, Letterkenny.
Following receipt of queries in relation to the allocation of houses in a development in Letterkenny,
Donegal County Council wishes to advise as follows.
The development in question is not being acquired by the Council. It is a private development being
acquired by an Approved Housing Body. Approved Housing Bodies build and acquire houses with
funding support from the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage. Local authorities act as
agents of the Department locally, and the AHBs would work through the local authority in the first
instance. The process has worked very well in Donegal over the years with over 1,000 houses having
been provided.
One of the conditions of funding is that the houses are allocated to households on the social housing
waiting list. In this regard, there is a process in place whereby the AHB allocates the tenancies to those
highest placed on the local authority waiting list. In this instance, the AHB issued letters of allocation to
households before all the due diligence had been satisfied in respect of the drawdown of Department
funding. This funding drawdown process has not yet been completed.
The Council understands that the AHB is now delaying the handing out of keys pending completion of
the funding process. The Council is disappointed that the AHB issued such allocation letters prematurely,
thus creating an expectation for the households who have received them. The Council has sought an
urgent meeting with the senior officials of the AHB to discuss the matter. The Council has already
commenced making contact with the households who have been offered the houses, in order to brief
them on the situation.
**************************
Cluid statement in full –
Clúid regrets that 14 households have been unable to move into their new secure, long-term homes in Cnoc Moineir, Ardrawer, Letterkenny. We understand this is very disappointing for these households and we are updating them as the situation progresses. Our vision is a society where everyone has a great place to live, so we are working in partnership with Donegal County Council and the developer of the homes to try to find a solution and move forward for the benefit of these residents.
