Taking care of the local housing stock

Dear Sir, Open letter to councillors Dear elected people of Drogheda town,

I’m contacting you all as a resident and concerned citizen of the town of Drogheda.

As of today there is 28 houses/apartments to rent in the entire town and a downward spiral of homelessness.

The bye-laws of derelict sites which are applicable to multiple houses and streets are not enforced leaving housing stock unavailable and anti-social behavior.

Two streets, Ship Street and Mill Lane should be on the register in their entirety. What will this do? Bring income by way of fines and bring housing stock to the market place.

We’ve had multiple fires, even deaths in abandoned houses which STILL aren’t on the derelict sites register.

I have tried to contact the council in Louth to discuss and I’ve been dismissed so perhaps one of you can give me an answer.

Why are we not taking care of the local housing stock, why are we not generating income that other councils are.

• Paradise Place behind the town centre has historic properties covered in barbed wire?

• Multiple properties driving up Trinity street are a hazard to any passerby with roof tiles slipping (some are on the market years)

• Narrow West Street is dilapidated and a danger with multiple buildings

• Mill Lane- Subjected to fires and drug infestation (Previous fatalities)

• Thatch pub Donore rdIt’s historic, you have power Can Ship Street be done up? enforce it!

• Ship Street (dozens of houses on this historic street)

• Palace Street (Boarded up windows for years)

• Fair Street buildings (I think these are even council owned?)

• The old B & B on the courthouse site (Owned by the OPW?)

• Trinity Street (Fires already recently- Multiple derelict houses with dangerous structures)

• Donore rd opposite bus station (Already burned down recently- Still not on register)

If anyone on the council enforces the derelict sites register as other councils do there is an immediate income generated of over 200k euro on this list alone-minimum!

Compulsory purchase orders should be put in place asap and the income/fines need to be acted upon asap.

This is only a short list, a list that would house the entire homeless population of the town and bring in money for a council just applying the laws.

Can someone please revert back with information on why this isn’t happening for the people of the town.

The first Councillor to get this moving will have the votes of myself and family. It’s more important that any other issue in the town we are faced with. Yours, Anthony, Drogheda.