IWEAll Ireland hub project on housing and inequality in May/June 2024: Researcher and Organiser

The project, which is sponsored by the German based Bosch Foundation is intended to amplify innovative work related to tackling inequality in the areas of housing (WEAII). Fundamental to human wellbeing, housing in Ireland is enmeshed with the growth economy and supply is a massive challenge - in part due to commodification. The housing situation in Ireland is exacerbating inequality, causing a generational divide and causing tensions around immigration. This project should provide a basis for meaningful, reflective discussion of ways forward on housing in Ireland. The outcome of the focus group is to find recommendations for the Wellbeing Hub around sustainable housing in Ireland, and create discussions around permanent affordability, while generating awareness for neighbourhoods with shared values/shared vision for living.

As part of this larger Wellbeing Economy project,  I put together a focus group in Dublin in May 2024. Participants gathered insights and good practice in housing, discussed themes around inequality in housing, questions around building, planning and political will to make shared/community led housing as a solution for Ireland’s housing crisis. Community led housing is an umbrella term, encompassing a wide range of approaches, including cooperative housing, cohousing, Community Land Trusts (CLTs) and self help housing. Participants comprised members of support/advocacy groups, people working in community housing, and those affected by the housing crisis. I reported the findings at the Rethinking Growth conference in Trinity College in June, 2024. I also completed a report on my findings, which will be used for further research.

https://weall.org/hub/ireland, www.feasta.org.