Emergency meeting set to discuss Cork City Council decision to halt tenant-in-situ scheme

An emergency meeting of Cork City Council has been called to discuss the council’s decision to cease a programme whereby it acquired properties that landlords planned to sell.

The tenant-in-situ scheme allows local authorities to purchase rental properties from landlords who are selling, ensuring that tenants facing possible eviction due to the sale could continue to rent from the authority.

A circular issued by the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage on March 31 stated there would be a capital funding allocation of €20m for Cork city in 2025.

Insufficient

Alison O’Rourke, the director of the housing directorate, said the council’s review of the circular, the programme parameters, conditions, and the allocation, indicated that “the funding received will be insufficient to adequately cover current commitments from 2024 into 2025”.

Ms O’Rourke added: “The impact of funding will, unfortunately, mean that the 2025 acquisition programme is now ceased. We have determined that the allocated funding has been exhausted.”

The council acquired 135 homes in 2024, among them 79 tenant-in-situ acquisitions. A further 33 homes were at the sale agreed stage at the end of the year.

Ms O’Rourke said the council was discussing the matter with the Department of Housing, and “envisage that commitments will be honoured”.

Reacting to the council’s decision to cease the scheme, Sinn Féin city councillors, with the support of Workers’ Party councillor Ted Tynan, have convened an emergency special meeting of the council.

Councillor for the Cork city north west ward, Kenneth Collins, said the meeting is scheduled to take place on April 29.

Reverse the decision

“It will give plenty of time to reverse the decision and save families from homelessness,” he said. 

“We need to know what will happen to the 33 families who had thought their homes were sale agreed and had celebrated finally having permanent, secure housing.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Housing told The Echo: “It is the clear focus of the Government to increase the supply of new-build social and affordable homes. Increasing the overall housing supply is key to addressing the housing challenge and preventing, and ultimately eliminating, long-term homelessness.”

“The Government is also committed to the continuation of the second-hand social housing acquisitions programme and targeting those acquisitions at those most vulnerable.”