The Dublin Co-operative Housing Society was formed in 1976 as a not-for-profit, self-help co-operative and member/user housing organisation.

The Society’s objects or aims are concerned with

~ the relief of housing needs for community benefit,
~ providing housing accommodation suited to the needs and financial circumstances of members,
~ the management and maintenance of co-operative housing estates and apartment buildings.

The Society seeks to improve the supply of social rented and affordable ownership housing for single persons and families who are willing to accept the responsibilities of co-operative membership. The Society has a focus on providing co-operative housing at an affordable cost to help solve the housing needs of limited income applicants from the City’s communities.

Dublin Co-operative Housing Society currently comprises the member/residents in four inner city co-operative housing developments, consisting mainly of social rented apartment buildings, at Queen Street/Blackhall Place, Sean Mac Dermott Street, Townsend Street, Portland Row and East Road. There are three other suburban co-operative housing developments managed by Dublin Co-operative Housing Society. These are located at Macroom Avenue (Greenlawns), Cherryorchard Court and at Rockfield, Dundrum (Sycamore).

Membership

There are currently over 200 members using the housing accommodation services managed by the Dublin Co-operative Housing Society. Each member is a shareholder in the Society.

Co-operative rental housing provides good quality accommodation with security of tenure and affordable rents related to the household income circumstances of each member. Co-operative rental dwellings contribute towards a socially balanced response to local housing needs in the City and are not available for tenant purchase or sale.

The Society is also involved in the provision and management of co-operative equity-sharing apartments at Island Key, East Road, Dublin 3 for members drawn from the affordable housing list who cannot afford the full price of a dwelling but are interested in achieving a 50% ownership equity stake, with an affordable mortgage loan, as co-operative members.

Management

The Society’s management committee (board of directors) consists mainly of the representatives of the member/residents in the local co-operative housing developments. The members in each local estate/apartment building elect/appoint representatives to the Society’s management board. They share responsibility for the conduct of the Society’s business affairs and monitor the performance of the housing services and estate management.

A small staff team, led by the Society’s manager/secretary, deals with the housing administration, tenancies, rents, caretaking, repairs and maintenance operations.

Recruitment of New Members and Vacancies

The recruitment of new members is related to the availability of dwellings in new co-operative housing developments or as the result of vacancies in the existing housing stock. The number of such vacancies occurring each year is quite low.

Arrangements are made for the nomination of interested applicants by the relevant local authority (City or County Council) from its social housing waiting list, for whom the co-operative dwellings available may provide a suitable housing solution as regards type, size and location.

The nomination of interested, qualified applicants for co-operative membership and purchase of equity-sharing apartment dwellings is from the affordable housing list managed by the City Council

Applicants are expected to participate in an information and familiarisation programme about co-operative organisation and membership responsibilities, prior to the allocation of membership. The programme includes an explanation of the details of the rental tenancy or the lease purchase agreement as applicable to the tenure of the co-operative dwellings available. This includes details of the rents or the service charge payable to the Society.

The right is reserved to refuse membership to applicants where there is a previous poor tenancy record, or a record of anti-social behaviour by the applicant, or members of his/her household, such as may affect the management, upkeep and care of a co-operative housing estate/apartment building.

The Co-operative Housing Society expects fair dealing, support and solidarity from all its members.

The co-operative dwellings let to members comprise family and single person units, as available in the Society’s housing estates and apartment buildings. These have provided long term housing solutions for members over many years.

Rents

The rents payable by member/tenants are related to the housing management and maintenance costs and their household income circumstances, as assessed each year in April. The notification of a significant ongoing change in the income circumstances will result in a re-assessment and adjustment of the rent payable.

Members undertake in the tenancy agreement to pay the rent due in full and on time and to care for the dwellings let to them.

The rents are applied towards the ongoing housing management, caretaking, repairs and maintenance costs, with provision towards a reserve fund for cyclical or future costs incurred in the upkeep of the co-operative housing stock, estates and apartment buildings.

Service Charges

The terms of the lease purchase arrangements for co-operative equity-sharing apartments require the payment of annual management service charges (payable in monthly instalments), related to the cost of management, caretaking and maintenance of the apartment building, including a provision towards the reserve fund for cyclical or future costs incurred in the upkeep of the apartment building and related facilities or services.

Affiliation

The Dublin Co-operative Housing Society is affiliated to the National Association of Building Co-operatives (NABCo) and its co-operative housing management role has been carried out in tandem with the development of new projects undertaken by the Association, mainly on sites allocated by Dublin City Council, but also acquired directly.

 

Contact Details

Dublin Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.
33, Lower Baggot Street
Dublin 2

Telephone:  +00 353 (0)1 6692000
Fax:  +00 353 (0)1 6692009
E-mail:  info@dublincooperativehousing.ie

View:    Office Location Map for Dublin Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.  

View:    Structure - Dublin Co-operative Housing Society Ltd.   

 

Dublin Co-operative Housing Society Limited is a registered not-for-profit Industrial and Provident Society. The Society has the status of an approved housing body under Housing Legislation and is recognised as being formed for charitable community benefit purposes by the Revenue Commissioners.
Dublin Co-operative Housing Society Ltd. is also affiliated to the National Association of Building Co-operatives.