500 signatures reached
To: Galway City Council
Declare Housing Emergency in Galway
We the undersigned acknowledge the Council’s inability to deal with the housing and homelessness crisis in our city.
We petition the Council to inform Government that this is the case, and to state that the Government must now declare a national housing emergency.
Such a declaration will enable the Government to access special European Union funding to invest in housing, and also allow the Government advance emergency measures through legislation to tackle this national calamity.
We petition the Council to inform Government that this is the case, and to state that the Government must now declare a national housing emergency.
Such a declaration will enable the Government to access special European Union funding to invest in housing, and also allow the Government advance emergency measures through legislation to tackle this national calamity.
Why is this important?
Currently there are over 5,000 people on the social housing waiting list, with only 14 houses coming on stream in next 2 years. The council are spending approx 871,599 Euro every 6 months in Galway to house families in hotels and B&B's which is unacceptable long term and is wasteful. Also the cost of 330,000 per social housing unit, which is being discussed in GCC this wk, is outrageous and unsustainable. Approx 50,000 people are in arrears of 2 yrs or more with their mortgage half of whom are at risk of repossession this year. Where will they go ? Too many people sleeping rough on our streets every night and a huge amount of people, incl students, couples, families, travelers and single people, failing to find suitable affordable accommodation in the private sector in Galway city. Something must be done NOW !