Calls for legislation to CPO vacant homes in Galway
Legislation must be passed that facilitates long-term vacant properties in the city to be acquired by Compulsory Purchase Order, a local councillor has claimed.
And it was claimed this week that many owners of vacant houses are ‘not bothered’ about having them renovated and lease because they are financially sound, while others are holding out in the hope of continued price inflation.
A sample survey conducted by Cllr Mike Crowe (FF) has revealed that the vast majority of vacant property owners in the city are financially well set up, so they do not need to off-load these properties any time soon.
He has now called for the Government to introduce legislation that would allow local authorities to acquire these properties by Compulsory Purchase Order after a certain period of them being unoccupied.
Recent figures have revealed that there are more than 1,100 vacant residential and commercial properties in the Galway City – this is despite a homelessness crisis and a severe shortage of housing.
There are around 3,500 households on the Galway City housing waiting list and this is set to grow even further over the coming months, with the expected influx of Ukrainian refugees. The number of vacant residential properties in the city stands at almost 450.
Figures show from the Northern and Western Regional Assembly that there has been a 5% increase in the number of vacant dwellings in a city where residential properties are hugely sought after, despite huge price increases in recent years.
According to Cllr Crowe, who did his own sample survey of long-term vacant dwellings, they are owned by people who are not interested in renovating them to rent or are ‘sitting on’ the properties in order to achieve the highest possible price.
“From what I have learned, there is an element out there that are comfortably well off that they couldn’t be bothered doing these houses up in order to lease them out.
“Then there are others who are expecting house prices in the city to skyrocket even more and that is why they are holding onto them.
“But we have a serious situation coming down the line and that is why the likes of Galway City Council should be given the power to move on these properties if they have been allowed lie vacant for a particular period of time.
“If we had the power to issue CPOs, then we would put the skids under some of these property owners and that is what we need to be doing as the demand for housing is set to increase considerably,” the Galway City East councillor added.
He will be making a submission to Galway City Council calling on Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to give them the power to take over properties that are four or five years vacant.