MORE THAN 19,000 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES LYING IDLE ACROSS CORK

A CORK charity has launched a campaign aimed at addressing the crippling housing crisis across the county and city by identifying homes that it can lease or buy.

Cork Simon said the initial response to its ‘ Empty Homes’ campaign, which was launched just last weekend, had been positive and that the charity was already following seven potential leads.

Cork Simon director Dermot Kavanagh described it as “an encouraging start”.

According to recent figures released by the Central Statistics Office there were more than 19,200 empty properties across cork (15,000 in the county and 4,292 in the city). This equates to almost 70 vacant properties for each homeless person in Cork.

According to the most recent figures issued by the Dept of Housing, Planning and Local Government showed there were 263 homeless adults in Cork – a 25% increase on last year.

Mr Kavanagh said Simon was “at the pin of its collar” trying to cope with the problem, with an average of 54 people availing of emergency services in the city each night.

“We have been under huge pressure and are fearful of what may be coming down the track. The housing crisis hasn’t turned the corner yet,” he said.

“Under this new initiative we are putting a special focus on encouraging people to contact us about suitable vacant properties, rather than just responding to what we find ourselves. More homes are the answer to the crisis”.

Under the scheme Simon intends to avail of existing government schemes to explore several avenues.

One of these is the governments Buy and Renew scheme under which funding is available to get empty residential properties that are in need of repair back into use. Cork Simon will buy these at the market rate.

The charity is also looking to buy empty residential properties in turnkey of near turnkey condition and lease suitable empty properties under its social rentals scheme.

Mr Kavanagh said Simon was interested in buying all types of empty residential properties - houses, flats, apartments - in any location across Cork county and city where minimal renovation is needed.

Another option is their Social Leasing Scheme, under which the charity will manage alls aspects of property rental, oversee its maintenance and guarantee monthly rent for the duration of the lease and ensure it returned in its original condition.

“Cork Simon’s Empty Homes can take the hassle out of selling or leasing your empty residential property and help fight the housing and homeless crisis,” said Mr Kavanagh.

To find out more about the initiative and for expressions of interest visit www.corksimon.ie.