Homelessness charity aims to deliver 80 homes in Cork in 2022

HOUSING and homeless charity, Peter McVerry Trust is aiming to deliver at least 80 social housing units by the end of this year across various locations in Cork city and county.

The charity is hoping to deliver a number of turnkey properties but has also undertaken a number of projects in the city where they have brought vacant properties back into use through the Repair and Lease Scheme.

Speaking to The Echo, Francis Doherty, director of housing development and communications at Peter McVerry Trust, said that “Cork city is now the area where we have the highest number of repair and lease projects in the country.”

Mr Doherty said whilst the Covid-19 pandemic inevitably caused some delays in increasing its housing stock in Cork, work is well underway to rectify this.

The charity published its fourth strategic plan last summer, outlining plans to deliver 1,200 new social housing units before the end of 2025 — with key increases in Cork and Kerry, in particular.

Francis Doherty said the charity has “a number of projects under way” in both the city and the county.

He said: “We have projects that are coming now to fruition where we’re moving to tenant them.

“We’ve done a number of projects in the city where we’ve brought back vacant properties through the Repair and Lease Scheme, so a big part of what we’re trying to do is urban regeneration — take vacant existing buildings and bring them back into use.

“Cork City is now the area where we have the highest number of repair-and-lease projects in the country. That’s good for us in that it’s more social housing, but it’s also good for communities because it’s less vacancy, it’s less antisocial behaviour with derelict properties.”

Speaking in relation to one project in the city centre, Mr Doherty said work has commenced on developing nine one-bed units in a building which he said is near the Cork office on North Main St “where the upper floors have been vacant for over a decade”.

He said the charity is also buying a number of turnkey schemes in locations across Cork.

“We’re buying some properties here in the city centre, we’re buying some properties in Charleville and Bantry, and they’ll all come in this year — schemes of 12, 10, nine units,” he said.

“It’s all moving well. There was a bit of a slow period with Covid, but it’s all back to normal and we’re just trying to get as many people into their homes as quickly as possible.”

Mr Doherty said the charity has a particular focus on delivering one-bed units to cater to an unmet demand.

“You look at the housing need, and the homeless need in particular, it’s for single-person accommodation,” he said.

The charity has appealed to people who may own vacant buildings and sites and who may be interested in selling these to contact its North Main St office.