Serious concern over 18 vacant homes in Ballina area
The Ballina Civic Offices at Arran Place, Ballina
Councillors have said they are concerned that there were 18 vacant council houses in the Ballina Municipal District up to the end of December.
The head of the district Declan Turnbull, in his monthly report at last week’s meeting of the Ballina Municipal Council, said there were currently 18 vacant council houses while tenancies had been offered in four other properties, none of which were refused.
Cllr Mark Duffy said the figure of 18 vacant housing units was "not good enough" given the ongoing housing crisis and the need for housing in the town.
“We need to move away from so much bureaucracy for turning vacant units around and move to a more localised model. Having 18 houses lying around during a housing crisis is not good enough.”
Cllr Michael Loftus said it was frustrating to see this figure and not have any timeframe for when a vacant home or a group of vacant homes would be available again for letting. He said the council should set a six-month limit for a vacant house to be turned around for letting.
Cllr Loftus said he felt the same frustration about schemes being completed under the Housing Construction Programme.
“We were told that the 34 units at Duffy’s Bakery and the 66 at Cheshire Homes would be in for Part 8 approval in December but they’re still not in. Those consultants are being paid and we need to be more realistic with our approach to these things.”
Other Ballina projects in this programme include developments at Church Manor, which has been approved under Part 8, Castlefield Manor, which is awaiting Part 8 approval, and The Meadows, which is still at pre-stage one.
Mr Turnbull said there is a strict procedure that Mayo County Council and the municipal districts are required to go through before they can rent out a house again.
“We have technicians who go in once the house is vacant and assess what repairs or maintenance need to be made. Generally, the longer a house is occupied, the more works that need to be carried out.
“It has to go to tender before the contract is awarded. The most responses to a tender we ever got back were three contractors. We have to stick with this process."
