Offaly grandmother facing homelessness for second time in three years

AN Offaly grandmother fears she will be made homeless for the second time in three years.

Agnes Cullen, a native of Clara, is one of many residents of the Riverview apartment complex in Kilbeggan who have received notices telling them their tenancies will be terminated.

Ms Cullen has joined with other tenants in mounting a weekly public protest in Kilbeggan against the planned sale by Riverview owner Remcoll.

In an interview with the Tullamore Tribune, Ms Cullen revealed herself and her husband, Kilbeggan man Pat Keenan, had been living in a car for nine months before moving to Riverview.

“We were homeless two and a half years ago,” she said. “We were living in a car and my husband has a heart condition that is non curable and I have illnesses as well and we were nine months out in the car before we got this place and our dream was to live in the Riverview apartments.”

They had been renting a small residence “like a little granny flat” in Killeigh prior to being housed in Riverview with the help of the council's HAP (housing assistance payment) place finder.

She said “jumped around the place” when the call came that the Kilbeggan apartment was available because Offaly County Council had not been able to provide any accommodation, even a room in a bed and breakfast.

She felt at the time: “This is our home. We came from being homeless and this was our for ever home and we were never going to have to be homeless again.”

Before moving in the couple had been living in their car with their dog, spending days and nights in various parts of Tullamore like the Daingean Road car park and the car parks at Tesco or Burlington.

“We used to have to move around in the car.”

Now, less than three years after finding a home where their children and grandchildren could visit them, the couple fear they may have to live in a car again when the eviction comes into effect on July 12 next.

“An awful lot of people here, our neighbours, are going to be affected by this. What we're trying to do with the protest is stop this sale and get them to realise that people have nowhere to go,” she said.

“Offaly County Council is not giving us anything. Westmeath County Council is not giving [the others] anything. Where is everybody going to go? We're all going to be out in the car park come July.”

She said the 76-apartment Riverview complex, where a large number of Brazilians have been living for many years, had become a great “community inside a community”.

“Everybody sticks together, everybody talks to each other and is nice to each other.”

The first public protest on the street at Riverview took place on Saturday, February 10.

“This Saturday there was a lot more than what was there last Saturday and we're going to do it every Saturday until we get answers.”

Ms Cullen, who thanked Westmeath Sinn Fein TD Sorcha Clarke for her support, said a key question for residents like her was whether or not the apartments will be sold with the tenants remaining in them.

Speaking before the protests began, Clement Herron, agent for the owner, property development company Remcoll, said the termination notices would be going ahead but various purchase options might be available.

“I can't try and manage everybody's tenancy or everybody's lifestyle or what they're going to do next. Our job is to manage the asset and say to our client we're maximising the asset. It's also very important to take on board that this was an investment that was made as a 10-year investment, a property investment, a property fund.”

He said the apartments might be sold as a “job lot”, or in lots and a “few chunks”.

Promoting the sale of the 5.3 acre complex, which comprises 64 two-beds, five townhouses, seven one-beds and a commercial unit, Clement Herron Real Estate said: “Selling Riverview with tenants in situ fosters a sense of community and alleviates the burden on local authorities, providing a practical and socially responsible solution. The prospective purchaser not only gains a commendable estimated return of 6% but also becomes a pillar of accommodation provision within the local economy during uncertain times.” Some apartments will be available with vacant possession.

Westmeath County Council has already been approached by an approved housing body (AHB) and the local authority said it will support an acquisition of part of the complex by an AHB.

“Westmeath County Council will be liaising with qualifying households over the coming months, to provide support to find alternative accommodation where required and will liaise with any AHBs that have expressed an interest in acquiring the units,” the council said.

In a statement, Offaly County Council said: “Offaly County Council is aware that a Notice of Termination has been issued to a number of tenants at the Riverview Complex in Kilbeggan. A number of the tenancies in the complex are on Offaly County Council’s Social Housing Support List and are in receipt of Intercounty Housing Assistance Payments. The Council will be liaising with qualifying households to provide support over the coming months.”