Clare’s Social Housing Chair claims middle income earners have been locked out of affordable housing in this county.
It follows confirmation from the local authority that its affordable housing schemes will target those earning between €50,000 and €70,000 a year.
Affordable Housing, which is designed to assist middle income earners to buy new homes at reduced prices, works on a shared equity basis and applies to designated properties.
So far the scheme is only available in Ennis and Shannon and although Clare County Council will carry out a countywide analysis to assess demand for the accommodation later this year, fears are growing that it’s already unfit for purpose.
It comes as the local authority has confirmed that those earning between €50,000 and €70,000 per year will be the target market for the scheme.
But with the income limit for social housing assistance capped at 35,000, anyone earning between that and 50 thousand euro a year are left in limbo.
Chair of Clare County’s Council’s housing committee, Gerry Flynn believes the cost of building affordable homes has become far too expensive for both developers and local authorities alike.
You can listen to the full interview below.
The Shannon Independent Councillor says the government must purchase land in residential zoned areas on behalf of the council to reduce costs or else middle income earners will continue to be frozen out of the market.
An East Clare Councillor insists, meanwhile, that the Affordable Housing scheme must urgently be expanded to rural communities.
Based on a survey conducted in May of last year, the local authority is predicting that 96 affordable units will have to be delivered in the county town each year, along with a further 23 per annum in Shannon.
Whitegate Fine Gael Councillor Pat Burke believes even a fraction of this output in rural Clare would be transformational.
