Further protests planned as rent hikes will hit families 'living hand to mouth'
Pressure is mounting on Dublin City Council to reconsider proposed social housing rent hikes - as several protests are planning for the coming weeks.
Affected residents, alongside CATU and People Before Profit members, are staging protests outside City Hall on Monday November 24 and Monday December 1. Reports have stated that some tenants could face as much as a 50% increase in rent in this first major shake up of social housing payments in 30 years.
Gina from Tristan Square in Chapelizod spoke to Dublin Live about the detrimental effects these increases would have on her community and stated it’s unfair to target those who “have no facilities at all.” “How are they planning to increase rents when there’s been no money spent on facilities?” she asked.
With Gina’s local residency association planning to “fight back,” she stated “besides two rocking horses for a playground,” the kids in the area have been left with nothing, and to be asked to pay more rent when residents are living “hand to mouth” is outrageous. “I think we deserve more, to give kids more when they’re smaller improves their quality of life,” she said.
“I have a daughter who is 11 at the moment and she doesn’t want to go out to play because there’s nothing to do.” In the current cost of living crisis, Gina believes it's not feasible to ask struggling families to pay extra money that should be going toward their children’s wellbeing.
“This is the worst time of year this could possibly be announced, right when families are saving up for Christmas ,” she said. “People are trying to put a bit away and save up for such an expensive time and they’re going to come and try and take away that rainy day fund.”
While the proposed increases have been tough on the community, Gina said there has been real momentum in getting people to speak out against these changes and let people know just how much even a small rental raise will impact struggling families. It’s out of this context that People Before Profit councillors have confirmed they will vote against increases at the budget meeting taking place next Monday.
PBP Cllr Conor Reddy stated: “These rent hikes are unjustifiable. They will hit tenants across the city during a cost of living emergency, push households closer to the edge and leave people worse off at a time when every bill is rising. People Before Profit will not support a budget that includes these measures.”
“We will be organising on the ground in every community we represent. People need to know what is coming and they need the confidence that this can be resisted. We will be joining CATU’s efforts and building as much pressure as possible between now and April,” he added.
Fellow PBP Cllr Hazel de Nortuin also voiced her concern stating, “tenants are being punished for the failures of government and the Council executive”. She condemned the decision to target tenants rather than properly fund local authorities and pursue outstanding revenue from developers.
“Tenants who are already stretched to the limit are now expected to plug funding gaps created by decades of government neglect. It is completely unfair. The Council has failed to collect tens of millions in vacant and derelict site levies and developer contributions owed, yet it is tenants who are being asked to pay more. That is a political choice and it is the wrong one,” she said.
“People Before Profit councillors across Dublin will be working with CATU and community groups to fight these proposals. We are already hearing from families who will not be able to absorb these increases. The idea that people living with damp, mould, cold and long delays for repairs should now pay more is outrageous.”
“These hikes can be defeated,” Cllr De Nortuin added. “The more people who stand up, the harder it will be for the Council executive to force this through. We will work in every community we represent to organise tenants and make that resistance a reality.”
When contacted for comment on proposed rent increases, Dublin City Council stated: “The current Dublin City Council Differential Rent Scheme is under review and further information will be available when the scheme is finalised. Any changes that result from this review would be communicated to all tenants suitably in advance of any proposed changes being implemented.”
Protests are planned outside Dublin’s City Hall on November 24 and December 1. The first protest will coincide with the budget meeting where councillors vote on proposed social housing changes, while the second is planned to coincide with December’s general meeting of Dublin City Council.
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