Affordable/Social Housing

Mental Mickey

I recently received this e-mail from one of the Affordable Housing bodies.Does any one else have difficulty understanding this, or am I just a bit dumb?

Cheers
M.M


Affordable housing is not the same as social housing, if you were applying for social housing, you would get extra points for a medical condition. But as far as I am aware with affordable housing, you apply and go on the local authorities affordable waiting list. All affordable homes that are built have to comply with building regulations including being suitable to accommodate someone with a disability. You can check with the local authority you are applying regarding if you sent in a letter from your GP would it move you up their list, the contact numbers for the four Dublin authorities are on the affordable housing application form that I have attached.

When you apply to most local authorities you go on their affordble waiting list and according as properties come on stream, the person at the top of the list is asked to view the property. Dublin City Council operate a different system. You apply for affordable housing and go on their waiting list. Then every three months they send a newsletter to every one on their list showing what properties are coming up and you pick which ones you are interested in and everyone who has expressed a preference for a particular apartment complex gets entered into a draw for those properties.

So I would suggest that you apply as soon as possible, you can apply to more than one local authority. If you apply to one or all of the four Dublin local authorities you only have to pay on fee of €50. I suggest you fill in the form and copy it. Then either send it or go into one of local authorities offices with the application form and fee. Their addresses are on the form. Pay the fee and keep a copy of your receipt. Then if you wish to apply to the other local authorities send a copy of your application form and details with a copy of your receipt to them.

seamus

It's written very weirdly, but it can be followed. Is there any part in particular that you don't understand?

Mental Mickey

I'm basically enquiring about Social/Affordable Housing and what the difference is between the two. Also, do the County/City Council's have a department that deals with both of these....? The councils seem to deal with Affordable Housing only......?

seamus

Ah I see now. I only glossed over the very first line. It would appear that the letter says they're not the same, but then only talks about affordable housing.

I'll give you a quick overview
Affordable Housing
The affordable housing scheme allows people who earn under a certain amount to purchase a new home at a discounted price. When a new development is built, a certain % of the development is designated as affordable housing, and the local authority controls a person's ability to purchase these homes. As the above mail says, you go on a list when applying for affordable housing. Some local authorities offer the homes for sale to the top of list, others run a lottery on each new development.
You still need to arrange finance (mortgage, etc) for the cost of the home.

Social Housing (Or "Local Authority Housing")
Social housing is provided to those people in need of a home, who cannot afford to buy their own home. When you are provided with social housing, you pay rent to the local authority - the amount you pay depends on your ability to pay. To get social housing, you are placed on a waiting list. Your application is given points based on your need of a home. So people with children, disabilities, etc will get more points, and so will start higher up the list than others. The big difference is that you don't get a choice of where you live. You can state a preference for a certain area, but this may have you waiting longer for a home. If you refuse a house offered to you, your priority on the list will drop, and you'll be waiting even longer.


All the info you should need is here: http://www.oasis.gov.ie/housing/

Mental Mickey

Thanks Seamus.

So, do I apply to the county/city council(s) if I'm interested in either, cos some of these places don't seem to have info on Social Housing, just Affordable Housing.....

I hope I haven't confiused ye even more.......?

seamus

Yeah, you'll have to apply for each type of housing in each local authority area. That is, if you want to get on both lists for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, for example, you need to apply separately to that local authority for each list.

You're better off ringing each authority that you're interested in and asking them how to apply. Their details are all isted here: http://www.environ.ie/DOEI/DOEIHome.nsf/wvNavView/LocalAuthorities

Mental Mickey

That's a pain in the a**e!!!!:mad: :rolleyes:

Why are our "systems" so all over the bloody place!!!!???:mad:

podge018

I think it's about right that you have to apply separately. I would say it's a tiny tiny % of the population who would be applicable under both schemes. I am on an affordable housing list but would be laughed out the door if I looked for social housing.

seamus

Mental Mickey wrote:

That's a pain in the a**e!!!!:mad: :rolleyes:

Why are our "systems" so all over the bloody place!!!!???:mad:

Well, I think you need to view them as two very different lists.

Social housing is for people who really are on or below the breadline - people who earn just about enough to feed and cloth their family and not much else.

Affordable housing is geared towards people who may have plenty of disposable income, but who can't possibly afford a full mortgage on a new home - young professionals mainly. If you look at the income limits, you can apply for affordable housing, even if you have two incomes earning more than the mean industrial wage.

Put simply, if you can afford to rent privately, then you're not going to get very far applying for social housing. If you need to apply for social housing, then you're a million miles away from being able to afford affordable housing.

podge018

I was thinking the tiny % who may be applicable under both would be physically handicapped people. I could be way wrong though.

gamer

i think social housing is basically,like used to be called corporation housing,basically for single mothers ,familys on a low income/welfare,affordablable housing is for 1 or two people who are working full time, have income below threshold, ie single man,55k euro pa approx,couple,110kapprox, ie a single man would never get a corpo 3 bed house or even a 2bed social house,he wud not have enuff HOUSING POINTS, BY THE WAY ,anyone single person can apply for a city council mortgage on any property provided thier income is not over 60k, and they can show they can afford to pay the mortgage,ie you cud get a council mortgage on a aptmnt or house in rathmines if the price is not too high,subject to a FULL survey of the property.YOU are not just limited to social/affordable housing,look at council website for more info.ie they wont give you a mortgage on a 450k house cos you cud afford not pay the loan on a 55k salary.

Mental Mickey

I also enquired as to whether the fact that I have a disability would help me move quicker up the list and I was told that it doesn't!? It just seems to go on income & availability of properties....?

Also, PLEASE refrain from using the word "handicapped"!!!??? I don't see myself as a charity case....!?

seamus

Mental Mickey wrote:

I also enquired as to whether the fact that I have a disability would help me move quicker up the list and I was told that it doesn't!? It just seems to go on income & availability of properties....?

Also, PLEASE refrain from using the word "handicapped"!!!??? I don't see myself as a charity case....!?

Yeah, that's the way affordable housing works, because it assumes that you're already living somewhere (be it with family or renting privately), therefore a disability makes no odds on your need for a home. Also, the fact that all new developments must now be disabled-friendly means that there are no particular affordable houses for which you would be a priority.

With social housing, certain houses have been specifically modified for the disabled & wheelchairs, so disabled persons will get priority on these houses.

Mental Mickey

I am living in unsuitable housing at the moment!! I have no access to a bathroom!!!

I've been told by someone at South Dublin County Council that the application procedure takes about 12-14 months!!!!

I'm currently waiting on a letter from my urologist, and I am also going to ring my bank to get statements from them!!!

I feel like ripping me hair out of me head!!!!!!:mad:

Noelie

Mental Mickey wrote:

Also, PLEASE refrain from using the word "handicapped"!!!??? I don't see myself as a charity case....!?

I know i'm going to get lynched for this, but thats some statement to come out with when you are trying to get a cheap house?
You don't see yourself as a charity case but your looking to get a Cheap house from the government?

Mental Mickey

Fair enough, it was a stupid remark to make.....apologies.

seamus

OK, but what is your current living situation? Are you currently being housed by the local authority, or are you renting privately. If you're renting privately, then while the local authority can't just stand idly by, it doesn't mean you're completely stuck - that is, you're free to move. I realise that it's not the perfect answer, but in the short-term it's the easiest solution.

Mental Mickey

I am living at home with my parents, brother and sister. My father owns the house.

gamer

if u r on city council hosing list /social hsing, you will get offered 1bed flat, ground floor after 2to 3 years, my friend was in the same situation as you, pick city centre as area, cos theres 100s of new flats in the city centre.basicly you get extra hsing points cos of disability.or else buy affordable hse /apartment if you earn x amount under 55k pa.she got flat after 2 years.

Mental Mickey

Hi Gamer,

Thanks for that. I have one of those "universal" application forms which allows me to apply to the four councils, so I'm in the process of filling it in, and I'm going to copy it and send it off to the various council offices. AND I've been told that I only have to pay the €50 application fee once!!!

But I'll still be waiting 6 months to a year for a place in the IWA independent living apartments :mad:

gamer

theres more new 1bed flats in city centre area, flats are allocated on how many points you have, if you are just going on housing list now,you might be waiting 2 years at least,the more people linving in your house now,the more points u get, people on disablity,treated similar,to old age pensioners, as regards hsing allocation,ie the less space you have the more points you get.you can get more info from centrecare in cathedral st ,dublin 1.lots of flat/blocks it city centre are refurbished with coded locks/ cameras cctv.

johnjay

Mental Mickey wrote:

But I'll still be waiting 6 months to a year for a place in the IWA independent living apartments

I know its a seems like a long time, but is not all that long when you think that you may be living in your own place for 20/30 years after that.

Mental Mickey

Hi Gamer,

Do you mean "the more people living in my CURRENT house or I'd get more points for people living with me if I bought a house under either of these schemes....?

gamer

i mean the more people living in your home NOW, THE MORE POINTS YOU GET, as regards getting social/corpo housing.They look at how much spaces ,rooms you have,per person, you have small room ,you get extra points.more points mean a faster ,short time to wait for an offer of housing.

mentalson

so I guess that the poles are gonna get all the social housing then

shoegirl

mentalson wrote:

so I guess that the poles are gonna get all the social housing then

They wouldn't be eligible in most cases as there is usually a requirement for them to have lived in the region for a certain length of time, they would also be pretty much required to be on social welfare (which they are not entitled to until they've worked for at least 2 years in this state). You won't see them getting much in the line of social housing for quite a long time.