High demand for one-bed homes as nearly 500 await social housing in Kells
Nearly 500 households are currently on the social housing waiting list in the Kells Municipal District, with more than 100 of those receiving Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) support.
New figures from Meath County Council show that 106 of the 498 approved applicants are receiving HAP, which supports eligible households renting in the private sector while they await long-term housing.
The data was released in response to a query from Councillor Sean Drew at the July meeting of the Kells Municipal District. Cllr Drew had asked for a breakdown of applicants by house size and the number currently availing of HAP.
The figures show the highest demand is for one-bedroom homes, with 286 applicants — 53 of whom are on HAP. This is followed by 159 applicants for two-bedroom homes (37 on HAP), 39 for three-bedroom homes (15 on HAP), and 14 for four-bedroom homes (1 on HAP).
Meanwhile, the July management report revealed that 233 new social housing applications were submitted across the county in the month of May. Of these, 88 were approved and added to the list, while 37 were unsuccessful.
The report also outlined that 79 households had their accommodation needs met during that period. This included 31 direct allocations by Meath County Council, 16 homes provided through Approved Housing Bodies, 24 HAP-supported tenancies, and smaller numbers accommodated through transfers, long-term leasing, and the Mortgage to Rent scheme.