Major rise in social housing waiting lists

 

Waiting lists for social housing in County Clare have soared in the past twelve months.

A new report today has found that thousands nationwide are now struggling and many families looking for a new home will have to wait years to be accommodated.

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The special investigation carried out by the Independent people are caught up in an unprecedented social housing crisis with waiting lists up an average 35 percent in the past year..

Clare is second only to Macroom in County Cork for having the longest waiting lists.

Clare County Council has seen a whopping 167 hike in numbers up to 2,407 from 900 last year.

Lists in neighbouring counties are also up. 10 percent in Galway and 18 percent in Limerick

The crisis has escalated in the past six months as struggling families falling behind on their rents; the unemployed, and those refused credit from the banks look to their councils for homes.

The extra pressure — with more than 100,000 applicants now on lists — means families looking for new or more suitable homes will have to wait years to be accommodated.