By Sligo County Council
Council aim to build 135 houses in 2023 with budget increase
TACKLING homelessness and providing more houses are the biggest challenges facing Sligo in terms of housing plans, the Director of Housing told Monday’s budget meeting.
Jim Molloy, Director of Housing, Human Resources said the biggest challenges in housing is tackling homelessness and the provision/delivery of more houses in the coming year. He said the budget increases secured for 2023 “pretty much all goes to homelessness - €350,000 and it highlights the challenge we are facing locally and nationally with homelessness, and it is not just in the social housing bracket, it is in all categories “We are seeing a rise in that allocation from €500,000 to €817,000 on homeless services,” he said.
He said Sligo County Council was on track to build “about 40 houses” this year. The target had been 46, but there had been some delays. Those houses will be delivered in 2023 where the Council target is to build 135 houses. “We are content that we
A number of houses in Cranmore are to be completed in 2023.
will reach that goal (135) and it’s our objective, more if we can achieve it,” he said.
He said the Council’s massive project in Cranmore will be largely completed in the next two years: “In 2023 and 2024 most of the work on homes in Cranmore will be completed by that stage. We expect to spend €7.5m in Cranmore next year, €8min 2024 and in 2025 it will be down to approximately €1m.
“We are looking at how we conclude there.
“We also have to deliver on social services there as well, not a question of walking away when the work is done, and we are working with our staff to develop
a plan to achieve that.”
Across the county they are looking to see where they can develop lands to address housing needs, particularly in west and north Sligo.
He said the other big challenge they face is dealing with the cost of materials.
“It does impact on the services we can deliver, because in areas such as housing maintenance increased costs will mean there will be reductions in the number of properties that are repaired. “We have to work within the budget we have, it is a challenge and something we need to keep working on to ensure we deliver on it.”