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Councillors have hit out at rent hikes of up to 176 per cent for “frightened” residents of Nazareth Village, an independent sheltered social housing complex for older people in Co Sligo.
Many of the impacted residents are believed to be elderly, vulnerable, and unable to afford such increases.
The independent living units on the grounds of Nazareth House were constructed in 2012, providing 48 single bedroom homes “at the lowest economic cost for our residents,” as previously stated on its website.
The not for profit voluntary housing association is on the landscaped grounds of Nazareth House in Sligo, which was donated by the Sisters of Nazareth.
One resident of the complex told the Sligo Weekender that he had received a letter telling him his rent would be going up to €145 a week from September 1st. He currently plays €41.75 a week, the paper notes.
Sligo Town Councillor Gibbons told The Sligo Weekender in recent days that he has been told that rents are to increase by at least €50 per week, which means roughly €2,600 per year, something which he said was “an extraordinary and deeply unfair burden to place on some of the most financially vulnerable members of our society.”
He said were such practises taking place in the private rental sector, “landlords would rightly be criticised as acting in an unscrupulous and exploitative manner.”
A motion has now been proposed by local councillors calling for the Local Authority to “write to the Minister of State for Older People seeking stronger protections for nursing home residents and families following recent investigations highlighting concerns around vulnerable residents receiving discharge notices after concerns were raised regarding standards of care.”
According to Cllr Gino O’Boyle, residents were told rents could soar by “well over 100 per cent,” while one resident faces having their rent raised by 176 per cent.
He told the motion that residents were “genuinely frightened.”
A letter from Nazareth Housing Association to a resident given to the Irish Independent said: “As part of a recent regulatory review, Nazareth Housing Association undertook a detailed assessment of its long term financial sustainability. This review identified the need to fully provide for planned maintenance and lifecycle costs in line with best practice and regulatory expectations.”
It continued: “Taking these costs into account, the Association is currently operating at a deficit. Following careful consideration, the management of Nazareth Housing Association has approved an increase in weekly charges to ensure the continued financial sustainability of the Association and the proper upkeep of its housing stock.
“The revised changes will support both day-to-day operating costs and a programme of essential planned maintenance and capital works across the housing association. These works include ongoing roof repairs, replacement of solar panels, and other necessary works to maintain the quality, safety and long-term condition of the accommodation.”
The Nazareth Housing Association also said that: “We fully appreciate that any increase in rent is difficult, particularly for older residents living on fixed incomes. We do not underestimate the impact on those affected and understand the anxiety that such increases can cause.”
It said that the roofs of all 48 properties had “deteriorated significantly over many years and required major replacement works.”
It added: “This project was essential to ensure that residents’ homes remain safe, secure and fit for purpose into the future. These works could not be delayed further without increasing the risk of more serious structural and maintenance issues.”
However, councillor Arthur Gibbons insisted that the “issue with the roof has been going on for years” and that it was “never right in the first place,” according to Sligo Weekender.
Care Champions, a family-led advocacy group campaigning for and with loved ones in care, said that the situation is “unacceptable and illegal.”
“Sligo Councillors are rightly standing united with the frightened residents of Nazareth Village, the independent sheltered social housing complex for older people on the grounds of Nazareth House as they face staggering, unconscionable rent hikes of up to 176%,” said Care Champions.
“These are independent living units designed specifically to provide affordable, safe, and secure shelter for older people. Implementing an explosive rent hike overnight effectively prices them out of their own homes and leaves them with nowhere else to go.
“Our older generation deserves dignity, security, and the absolute right to speak up about their living conditions without the terrifying fear of being priced out or abandoned. We must demand Government intervention and protections to ensure that housing associations cannot exploit, neglect, or financially squeeze the very people they were established to protect.”
The issue is to be raised with the Minister for Housing, James Browne, to seek clarification on the legality of the proposed increases.
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