Dublin City Council is looking at introducing affordable rental homes, the first of which could be built in part of a new development in Coolock.
Councillors have been briefed on plans to build 1300 new homes on four council owned sites here in the city.
Officials believe one site, off the Oscar Traynor Road, could be ready to go – providing 655 houses, duplexes and apartments, 30 percent of which will be social or affordable.
They want to trial a new rental scheme which officials say would help people on low or moderate incomes stay in the one place long term.
Bryan Ward is from Dublin city council:
"We're looking at this model where people could look at affordable rental for the long term. In terms of eligibility, it would be based on income thresholds for local authority mortgages and the idea would be be to provide a rental target that would be the lesser of 30 percent of somebody's income or 20 percent below the market rent".
However, some councillors aren’t happy that the development won’t be 100percent council owned.
Independent Nial Ring:
"Is there a technical obstacle to the Minister releasing less than five percent of the famous €3.8 billion he talks about for social housing for Dublin City Council to build and own all of this property, all of these houses.
Despite reservations from some, councillors from the housing and planning committees voted to bring the plan before the full meeting of Dublin City council in January where it will be debated further.
