Sir, – In your editorial "Housing – the perfect storm" (April 24th), you suggest that the "real demand is for affordable social and affordable housing and rental properties". This is precisely what Ó Cualann Cohousing Alliance CLG is delivering with the support of Dublin City Council in Dublin northwest.
Ó Cualann, an approved housing body (AHB), which is committed to building “Communities and not just houses”, have a mission to build integrated, cooperative, affordable homes where owner-occupiers live side by side with social and private tenants sharing common amenities.
With the support of local authorities, the Ó Cualann model sees private finance being used to deliver homes at circa 30 per cent below market prices for that segment of the population who are not being catered for by social housing or by the market and whose household income is between €35,000 and €79,000 per year, or 40 per cent of the population. The Ó Cualann model can also deliver the necessary social and rental units at the same rates.
In our first project in Poppintree Dublin 11, a top-quality, A2-rated for energy efficiency, two bedroomed home was sold for €140,000 and our three-bedroomed homes were sold for €160,000 to €175,000.
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The model can be replicated and scaled and must now be accepted as an important part of the “broader range of solutions” that you call for in your editorial. – Yours, etc,
HUGH BRENNAN,
Chief Executive,
Ó Cualann
Cohousing Alliance CLG,
Quinsborough Road,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.