********** Housing the homeless ********** from Workers Solidarity No 35 [1992?] A year ago this February the Irish Times headlined an article "Housing plan aims to provide 5,000 more homes for the poor". If your one of the thousands rushing for the evening press at 12.00 and then to the phone you might well be wondering where these homes are. If your now, living in a damp little brown room that costs more than you can afford it's probably small consolation to know that your not alone. In 1989 it was estimated that over 19,000 people needed housing. Another assessment of housing needs was carried out this year, but this time the government has decided not to publish the findings of the review board. In February, the government said that large scale building by local authorities "would not now be appropriate". It would seem Padraigh Flynn (Minister for the environment) doesn't think shelter is appropriate for the homeless. The same report in the Irish Times stated that there will be 1,500 housing starts this year, yet so far only 173 have been approved for Dublin, Cork and Waterford, with less than 1000 expected to be built over all. Instead of building houses? So if the government isn't going to actually build more houses, what is it offering instead. The plan had four main points; Firstly, where people are living in substandard private housing (and lets face it most of us are) local authorities will be allowed to refurbish and extend these houses. However, before you all rush out your local county council, remember that in 1990 Dublin Corporation refurbished only 189 of it's own properties never mind those in private hands. The second solution on offer it " a co-op ownership scheme", the theory being that you buy 50% of a private house and the Council buys the other 50%. This plan would encourage the more lower income house holders , well that's the theory, but it's never been put into practice as not even one co-op schemes has so far been authorised. Thrown in for good measure is a $3,300 mortgage subsidy to tenants of public housing if they buy a private house, though at today's house prices buying a lottery ticket might be a more realistic bet. A caring government???? Ninety per cent of the cost of housing unit provided by voluntary organisations will be met by the Exchequer. So, why you might ask, if the government can fund 90% of housing needs, will it not fund the full 100%. If did this it would be admitting it had some responsibility to the homeless people, to the old and one-parent families. By funding up to 90% it'll be reported (as it was in the Irish Times)Voluntary housing and co-operative housing will get a boost under the plan, the Government is seen to help the voluntary organisations out with their problems, so the problem of homeless is laid at the feet of the voluntary agencies not being able to cope, rather than at the feet of the Government which has no intention of doing anything about it. Padraig O'Flynn's idea of a joke Additionally, in February we were also promised a new Housing Bill. At the moment this doesn't look much like it's going to appear, but if it does there's all sorts of things to look forward to. For instance, it'll be mandatory for landlords to give rent books who will become entitled to four weeks notice to quit ( at the moment your legally entitled to one week). This is pretty much like the way it's illegal for flats at the moment to be fire traps, and landlord are meant to give deposits back. These rent book will have to by law (now isn't that useful) include a substantially amount of information about the letting and minimum standards of accommodation. Your landlord meanwhile can set the cost of building new dwellings against tax liabilities, so at least somebody will gain concretely from the government plan. So what's it all about So what we have in effect is a lot of talk to disguise the fact that no new houses are going to be built. In the mid 1984 state expenditure on housing was over £207 million per year. By 1990 it had fallen to £48 million. In February it was reported as if it was some great concession that £28 million was going to be spent on implementing the plan. 160 acres of city centre land is derelict and could be used for public housing. There are 5,000 actual homeless people (living on the streets or in hostels) in the republic of Ireland. Obviously a major local authority building plan is needed at once. Threshold estimate that at least 1,000 new homes are needed per annum to stabilise the situation in the Dublin area alone. Much of the existing housing stock is in need of refurbishment. However government policy at the moment has lead to primarily office and commercial development, with limited private residential development at the upper range of the market ( how many people can afford 2 bedroomed flats at $65,000?). In the final analysis the "plan for Social Housing" is nothing more than an attempt to side-step and avoid the problems of homeless. Remember after food, shelter is one of the most basic human needs, it's even guarantied by the UN Human Rights Charter. But then when is comes to the needs of the ordinary person that's capitalism, if it's not going to turn a profit all you'll get is talk.