Respond wins Housing Award for Creative Supply of Social Housing

RESPOND! was announced the worthy winner of the prestigious ICSH Community Housing Awards 2015 for “ Most Creative Supply Response” for the completion of the NAMA owned ‘ghost estate’ at Oakley Wood, Tullow, Co Carlow.

Oakley Wood is a development of family houses located in Tullow, Co. Carlow. The estate at Oakley Wood was the first unfinished estate controlled by the National Management Agency NAMA to be acquired for social housing. This project was also the first exclusively social housing NAMA project in the country to be taken on under the new private finance model of funding. It represented a unique collaboration between NAMA, Carlow County Council, the Department of Environment Community and Local Government and RESPOND!.  This development saw 55 unfinished houses completed for the benefit of families in need of housing in the Tullow area in 2014. The family estate is now supported by a community facility where RESPOND! work with residents developing programmes and supports for children, teenagers and adults. RESPOND! is delighted to have been in a position to provide long-term sustainable homes, through a new avenue (at the time) as an innovative solution to social housing shortages.

The award ceremony took place at the ICSH biennial National Social Housing Conference, Tullamore Court Hotel, Co. Offaly yesterday where CEO Ned Brennan commented:

“The Allianz Community Awards recognise and promote quality in housing delivery, management and services to tenants and communities. The calibre of entries received this year was extremely high, and RESPOND! is delighted to have made the shortlist, and even more delighted to win”

RESPOND! has committed itself to being a key player and partner in the delivery of social housing and particularly welcomes the enhanced role for AHBs in the context of the social housing strategy announced by Minister Alan Kelly in 2014.

A second RESPOND! project located at Millenium Court, Co Kilkenny was shortlisted under the “Community Integration” category. Millennium Court is an excellent example of Respond’s ambition to deliver not just housing but to develop integrated and supported communities where residents take a leading role in the delivery of services for themselves and their neighbours. Respond residents and volunteers are delighted with this well-deserved recognition.