A JOINT INITIATIVE between the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) and the Peter McVerry Trust has seen 12 housing units made ready just in time for Christmas.
Intensive building work has been taking place over the past 12 weeks and has seen members of the CIF volunteering time, money and materials to make the project possible.
The CIF’s president Michael Stone estimated that the man hours and materials for the work amounted to around €700,000 and that more than 35 of its members had pitched in.
Additional spending on finishes, landscaping, appliances and household goods brought the total cost of the project to over €1 million.
The development has taken place on Hogan Court, an area in Dublin 2.
The vacant building contained 12 empty units and was in need of a total overhaul to bring them up to a liveable standard.
Speaking about the importance of the project, Stone said: “As we are all too well aware, the number of homeless people needing and accessing accommodation over the past year has been increasing.
This partnership between the CIF and the Peter McVerry Trust will make a meaningful and effective contribution to tackling this crisis.
It is thought that without the project stepping in, the units would have continued to be disused for the foreseeable future.
The new residents are coming from Dublin City Council’s housing list and includes those that are currently using homeless services.
Speaking about the project, CEO of the Peter McVerry Trust, Pat Doyle, said:
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 we hope will be replicated next years and in the years to come.
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