The Irish Wheelchair Association, Athlone is calling on people with disabilities to register their housing needs. A housing information event will take place in Clonbrusk Resource Centre on Wednesday May 18 from 10.30am to 1pm.
The IWA has recently launched a new and innovative housing initiative, to promote the benefits and importance of registering for accessible and affordable social housing. The campaign, known as Operation Sign Up, was initiated in light of the 2011 triennial housing needs assessment which all city and county councils have been notified of by the Department of Environment. Historically, the housing requirements of people with disabilities have been under-represented, and the results of the triennial housing needs assessment have not demonstrated the real demand for social housing for these people.
Operation Sign Up aims to encourage as many individuals as possible to register their need for accessible, affordable, and appropriate accommodation with their local authority. The IWA housing initiative includes a new housing website, www.iwa.ie/house, which provides a step-by-step guide to applying for social housing. The IWA has broken down the 10 steps involved in the application process and has also listed all other relevant information an individual will require during the application process, such as contact details for local councils, information links to local health centres and tax offices, and also details of all local IWA centres.
It is the responsibility of local city, town, and county councils to provide adequate and sufficient social housing to people who are registered with them. The IWA is liaising with all local authorities to highlight the availability of social housing to people with disabilities.
For further information please contact Monica Hughes, service coordinator, Clonbrusk Resource Centre, Athlone, call (090 ) 6471118, or email [email protected].
