NOONAN has joined forces with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), its members, and supporters and the Peter McVerry Trust for the refurbishment of 12 homes for the homeless in time for Christmas. More than 35 companies worked together to complete the project. By providing 12 homes, this collaboration has made a meaningful contribution to tackling the homelessness crisis. The NOONAN team carried out all the cleaning and related works required to make the homes safe, comfortable and enjoyable.
CIF President, Michael Stone, said: “When you add up all the man hours and materials donated by our members, and supporters it comes to a value of €700,000. When you add in the price of all the final finishes, landscaping, appliances and household goods required, the project will have cost over €1m.”
Offically launched today by Ard-Mhéara BAC, Críona ni Dhálaigh, and Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection, Kevin Humphreys TD, the development, located at Hogan Court in Dublin 2, had consisted of a vacant building comprising 12 individual units. The properties were in need of complete refurbishment and upgrading to make them habitable, along with some external works to the site. The units, which had been used predominantly to provide housing to older individuals, had fallen into a very poor state of repair. Vandalism and dereliction meant that many of the units required extensive renovation in order to make them habitable.
Pat Doyle, CEO of Peter McVerry Trust, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the project that has left us with 12 high quality studio apartments which are ideal for single people in need of social housing. ”
“The project also underlines what can be achieved when we work in partnership, have the will to achieve a clear objective and the resources to match. These 12 voids have been completely transformed in 12 weeks. This is a format that we hope will be replicated next year and in the years to come.”
The new tenants will be individuals taken from Dublin City Council’s housing list including people coming directly from homeless services. Individuals are the largest group within homelessness in Ireland, yet they find it extremely difficult to access social housing, which have historically been built as family homes. Each individual regardless of their level of need will have the support of Peter McVerry Trust’s highly skilled ‘Housing with Supports’ team. This team will work to ensure that tenancies are sustained and that residents are supported to integrate into their community by partaking in education, training and employment. An onsite caretaker will also aid the work of the housing with supports team.
