Liberties tenants blast 'segregation' as they're blocked from using apartment facilities
Social housing tenants in the Liberties say they are facing “segregation” as they claim they have been blocked from using the amenities provided to private tenants.
Several residents from Grand Canal Harbour have spoken with Dublin Live about the inequality they say they have faced. Despite previously being told amenities would be shared, tenants claim they have been denied access to the gym and meeting rooms, as well as being blocked from hosting on-site events.
“When I viewed the place, I was told everyone could use the gym and meeting rooms. After we moved in, it was ‘no—you can’t use our stuff,’” said C. J., chair of the Cuan Association at Grand Canal Harbour (initials used at her request.)
Lynn Hooper, the Residents Association secretary, explained that housing provider, Tuath Housing, attempted to negotiate gym membership for social housing tenants but “they came back with a flat no.” Neighbour Pete Conway O’Neill revealed it was only after moving in and trying to use the gym that he was asked what building he lives in before being denied access.
With the majority of social housing tenants living in a separate building to the private tenants, Pete says it feels like there’s a “two-tier system” in place where it’s “us and them.”
As a mixed tenure development, communities such as Grand Canal Harbour are designed to encourage integration between private and social housing residents. This “pepper potting” approach promotes social cohesion, yet the tenants in Grand Canal Harbour feel they have been cast aside and made to feel like second-class citizens.
Treasurer Donal Walsh argued housing developments require a certain level of amenities in order to get planning permission, and said it’s difficult to understand why it would be granted if a portion of residents cannot access facilities marketed as part of the development. “We have even offered to pay to use them,” he said, explaining that they have been consistently denied access.
“You’d say fair enough if the gym was busy and constantly packed, but it’s empty all the time,” said C. J., while Pete added he has “never seen more than three people there.”
Residents describe early attempts to build community with rooftop gatherings that included private tenants before being shut down by management. Lynn said after meeting their requirements through insurance and doing risk assessments, the reasons they are denied access continually shift.
Lynn said there are plenty of vacant and underused spaces that could serve the community's shared needs. She highlighted an area promoted as a “brilliant yoga studio” that stands empty, and she claims a social housing resident was even denied permission to run classes in the space.
The Residents' Association has ambitions to host music days, movie nights, book clubs, knitting and crocheting events, as well as computer classes, but they have not been given access to the space to do so. “Just give me a room and I’ll build you a community,” Lynn pleaded.
There are further barriers that add to the tenants' sense of separation, as they say they cannot get fobs for the car park and that the bike storage they have been offered requires navigating lifts and multiple locked doors. With paid parking from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and double yellow lines installed around the building, C. J. said this adds to their sense of frustration.
The residents have voiced their frustrations to Dublin City Council , Tuath Housing, and management company Aramark Properties. But with so many different bodies involved, Pete said it feels like there’s a “diffusion of responsibility” and that this is an issue of “equity and equality.” “It doesn’t feel like a community, it feels like us and them. It’s segregation,” he said.
A spokesperson from Aramark Properties said that their involvement at Grand Canal Harbour "relates only to the upkeep of the shared areas across the development." "We are not part of any decisions on how the tenancies are managed or on who can use the amenity spaces." They said that queries about the social housing arrangements are a matter for Tuath Housing and any questions about access to the amenities should be directed to two other companies which oversee those areas
When contacted for comment Tuath Housing stated they are committed to "ensuring that all residents live in a home that is secure, affordable and appropriate to their needs."
"Grand Canal Harbour, including its leisure facilities, is owned by a private company, while Tuath manages a number of homes there on behalf of Dublin City Council. We have been engaging with this issue and are committed to working with all stakeholders on a solution. Tuath will endeavour to keep residents informed on this matter," a Tuath Housing spokesperson said.
Dublin City Council has stated that they are "aware of this issue and has recently met with the relevant stakeholders regarding the queries raised." The council said this issue is "ongoing at present."
The two companies which oversee the amenity areas have also been contacted for comment.
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