Agenda and draft minutes

See draft minutes for approval

Agreed: Minutes agreed

No correspondence received

Cllr. Alison Gilliland updated members with regard to;

·         Current Working Groups – Public Housing, Rent Model & Services for Older People

·         Festival of Public Housing

The following considerations were raised:

·         Provision for online working group meetings.

Agreed: Information pertaining to the Festival of Public Housing shall be circulated ahead of  the April meeting.

Correspondence

Agreed: N/A

See points i. – v.

                                      i.        Report on Housing Supply/Delivery

The following considerations were raised:

·                                             DCC direct labour developed projects versus outsourced design and development

·                                             Part V

o   entitlement with regard to Build to Rent development

o   pepper potting vs whole block purchase

o   potential need for change in legislation (to be discussed by Public Housing Working Group)

·                                             Policy shift towards volumetric building

·                                             Mapping projects to identify lands, vacant sites and projects

·                                             Acquisitions – protocols and practice

·                                             The role of the Approved Housing Bodies in housing supply

·                                             Statistical updates – matching unit size with housing needs

·                                             Funding for void refurbishments

·                                             Volume/Density

·                                             Apartment viability and current fiscal policy

·                                             Specific updates on projects

Agreed: Project Design (Internal/External) report to be brought to the April meeting

Agreed: Report Noted

                                  iii.          Report on Homelessness

The Chairperson thanked the Director of Dublin Regional Homeless Executive for accommodating a special briefing on Covid-19 preparedness and contingency planning for homeless persons ahead of the SPC meeting.

The following considerations were raised:

·         Statistical Analysis of numbers and trends presented

·         Current capacity

·         Day Services

·         Profile of homeless persons

·         Psychological effects of Homelessness

·         Housing Assistance Payment – HAP

·         Extra Supports

·         Early Intervention

·         Housing Support Workers

·         Homeless HAP

·         Place Finders services

·         Hubs – standards and inspections

·         HSE Guidance

·         Reducing one-night only accommodation and self-accommodations

·         Need to prevent the spreading of fake news among the homeless community

Cllr. Mannix Flynn apologised to Eileen Gleeson, Director of Dublin Regional Homeless Executive & Chair of the SPC for remarks made at a previous meeting and indicated his wish to have them withdrawn. Apology was accepted.

Agreed: Report Noted

Agreed:DRHE Contingency Covid-19 Fact sheet to be distributed to Cllrs and to voluntary     organisations supporting homeless persons.

Agreed:Proceed to item iv on the agenda

    iii.        Report on Depot Sites for Housing

The following considerations were raised:

·         Acknowledgment of need for housing to be progressed on the depot sites as opposed to the original plan to dispose of them

·         Type of housing on depot sites - social housing, affordable/cost rental, senior citizens/age friendly, financial contribution, mixed tenure

·         Partnership & capacity role of AHB in proposal

·         Local Consultation

·         Development Time Scale

·         Project Updates

·         Finance

·         Project/Site Design

Agreed:A second report to be presented at next SPC meeting detailing the envisaged DCC & AHB partnership option versus DCC only development led approach

4. Report on Lettings 2019 & Scheme of Lettings Priorities

The following considerations were raised:

·         Lettings increase

·         Reduction of time people spending in emergency accommodation

·         Social Leasing & Rental Accommodation (RAS) initiatives

·         Housing Support Officers

·         Move from rent allowance system to HAP process

·         Statistical Analysis – Demographics, meeting housing needs and challenges in certain local areas with regard to certain unit size

·         Allocation protocol

·         Tensions regarding the HAP Transfer list

·         Supports and procedures for young people leaving care

·         HAP

o   fast track approach to applications in emergency situations

o   provision to have HAP when sharing accommodation

·         Social Housing Assessment 2020

Agreed: Report Noted

Agreed: The proposed amendment to section 2.5.1 of the Scheme of Letting Priorities as follows

Children in Shared Custody/Access Arrangements

On a case by case basis, Dublin City Council may, on assessment, assign an additional bedroom requirement to a household whose members do not reside on a full-time basis but who in the opinion of Dublin City Council, have a reasonable requirement to live together.

Verbal update, report to be presented at the relevant Working Group

Dublin City Council SPC recognises the over-reliance of DCC housing projects on contracting private development & construction companies to develop and particularly build local housing projects. This situation inevitability adds cost to and reduces control over projects. Therefore, the Housing SPC asks the DCC Housing section to conduct an initial viability study into the establishment of a DCC Building Company that would work with DCC Housing section to site manage and build DCC housing projects and ultimately maintain DCC housing stock - examples of such Council building companies include City Building (Glasgow City Council) and Goram Homes (Bristol City Council). That this initial viability study consider legislation, financing, structure, management and recruitment/staffing and report back to the Housing SPC at its meeting in July.   

Dublin City Council SPC recognises the over-reliance of DCC housing projects on contracting private development & construction companies to develop and particularly build local housing projects. This situation inevitability adds cost to and reduces control over projects. Therefore, the Housing SPC asks the DCC Housing section to conduct an initial viability study into the establishment of a DCC Building Company that would work with DCC Housing section to site manage and build DCC housing projects and ultimately maintain DCC housing stock - examples of such Council building companies include City Building (Glasgow City Council) and Goram Homes (Bristol City Council). That this initial viability study consider legislation, financing, structure, management and recruitment/staffing and report back to the Housing SPC at its meeting in July.   

Agreed: Motion Agreed without debate.

See dates for upcoming meetings:

Wednesdays 11:00 – 13:30

The following was raised under AOB;

·         An acknowledgement that DCC was committing to an Independent Employment Compliance Monitor on publicly funded DCC housing sites

·         Report on Cabhru Housing Association

Agreed: Cllr. Mannix Flynn to submit motion on CABHU to April meeting

Agreed: SPC Plan of Work for the April meeting