David Quinn on housing on Pat Kenny on Newstalk

[Delboy]

What narrative?
I agree, Dublin city should not become another London with all bar high paid professionals priced out of the housing market.

But I'd be quiet sure that most of the Corpo bin men back in the day were able to afford their own gaffs. Dublin Corpo would'nt be a low paying job hence they've trie to outsource so much of their activites

 

[TheBigShort]

Some people are playing the system. They are living with their mother, but they make themselves homeless so that they get priority on the housing list.

Yes they are, that is true no doubt, but as McVerry pointed out, all systems are played by some or other. For the record, when I say 'played', I mean using the system to gain unfair or disproportionate favour but at all times within the rules.

3,000 social housing offers have been turned down in the last two years. 20% of Dublin City Council offers have been turned down. The refusal rate in Cork is 40%. People are holding out for the perfect house. Cork City Council estimated that only 10% of refusals were justified.

How many of these refusals are by people who are living with their mother but make themselves homeless?
Relative to people who are working, and living with parents but turned down the accommodation because of location, conditions of accommodation etc?

The point is, the increasing housing crisis is not solely on foot of people 'gaming' the system - it is unlikely in my view that there was a sudden increase of gamers that propelled this crisis. These people make good headlines and provoke outcry, but in real terms they are a tiny portion of the housing problem.
I would hazard a guess, based on the housing crash, that the bulk of new people/families on the housing list is account of working people who lost jobs and subsequently homes, and are trying desperately to get back into some form of reasonable accommodation that they can accept - ie they refuse to be housed in traditional social housing estates where there is a level of known social disadvantage, whether that disadvantage is real or not.
Comments like this in the, now locked, other thread about housing indicates that I may not be far off the mark?

"Whilst it is welcome news for those on a waiting list, I would be very surprised if there was a rush by private house buyers to buy in a development where over half the units (79+15+58) are likely to be social units."

 

[Firefly]

What I'm saying is that traditionally council houses were for low-earning workers who needed to be near enough their jobs. A large expensive city will always need binmen, cleaners, childminders, shop-workers, etc

This kinda fits with Brendan's suggestion that council houses in urban areas should be for those actually working there. Nice to see you get a few likes from our lefties too!

 

[TheBigShort]

This kinda fits with Brendan's suggestion that council houses in urban areas should be for those actually working there. Nice to see you get a few likes from our lefties too!

Yes it does, and if you followed that thread you will have noticed that, speaking for myself, I took no issue with low paid workers being prioritized for housing. In fact I support it.
It was the subsequent eviction process of people who weren't working, and the lack of detail, that concerned me and ultimately made Brendans proposal unworkable.

To add further to my previous comment, and to identify the complexities of the housing issue, when living in Dublin was aware of a particular road near city centre that was traditionally occupied by social tenants. In a block row of 10 houses, one of the houses was known as a crack house. Two of the other houses were vacant but boarded up.
Is there anyone who would think that these two boarded houses would provide suitable accommodation for a low paid working couple, perhaps intending on starting a family, in the vicinity of a crack house?
Would anyone think it reasonable that someone rejected an offer to be accommodated there?

 

[Purple]

Is there anyone who would think that these two boarded houses would provide suitable accommodation for a low paid working couple, perhaps intending on starting a family, in the vicinity of a crack house?
Would anyone think it reasonable that someone rejected an offer to be accommodated there?

So you are saying that the inability or unwillingness of the police and local authority to do their job and close such places is also exacerbating the housing crisis, yes?

 

[TheBigShort]

So you are saying that the inability or unwillingness of the police and local authority to do their job and close such places is also exacerbating the housing crisis, yes?

No. I can't confirm if it is inability, unwillingness, to do their job or if it is willingness and ability to do their job but that ability and willingness is being suffocated by an increasing drug problem in the city, or is it something else.

All I am saying that there are known locations in Dublin City centre (not confined to social housing estates anymore) where junkies shooting-up is quite prevalent or that drug-dealers are regularly present.
In such circumstances, is it unreasonable for a person, or family, on a housing waiting list, to decline an offer of accommodation in close proximity to these known affairs?
In my opinion, it is not unreasonable.
As such, it is one of many factors that make the housing crisis a complex issue.

 

[Purple]

All I am saying that there are known locations in Dublin City centre (not confined to social housing estates anymore) where junkies shooting-up is quite prevalent or that drug-dealers are regularly present.
In such circumstances, is it unreasonable for a person, or family, on a housing waiting list, to decline an offer of accommodation in close proximity to these known affairs?
In my opinion, it is not unreasonable.
As such, it is one of many factors that make the housing crisis a complex issue.

Agreed. It is also another example of the State failing the citizen. The solution offered by the poverty industry is more; more social housing, more money spent, more taxes raised. That suits their agenda but it is wasteful. It would be more productive to close the crack dens and make such housing habitable.