The first families have now received the keys to their new homes in Mount Neil, Carrickpherish.
A development consisting of 57 social homes was officially opened by the Housing Minister today.
The houses were built by Circle VHA (Voluntary Housing Association).
Adrian O'Connell and his family were viewing their new home this morning.
"We heard from Circle Housing there just before Christmas that we were after being successful in our application for one of the homes," Adrian said.
"We only picked up the keys there this week and we just got in for a look around at the house there today. Absolutely fantastic.
"Very exciting for my two boys. We're just busting to get in and get settled and all that now as well. It'll be brilliant."
Adrian O'Connell and his family as they prepare to move into their new home in Butterfield, Mount Neil, Carrickpherish
Surprised and delighted
Adrian and his family have been on the housing list for just under six years, so he said he was surprised and delighted to hear they had been chosen.
With the rental situation being what it is in Waterford and elsewhere, he said they ended up having to move in with relatives:
"It was very hard at the start because you're trying to have your own space and you don't want to be putting anybody out. I had to move back in with some family members because the rent out there is just absolutely ridiculous.
"For what we were looking for, a three-bed house you were looking at anything from €1,100 to €1,300 and some of the properties weren't even up to the greatest of spec either."
Mayor Joe Kelly was in attendance this morning and stated that these new builds are all "built to the highest standards... The houses are all A-rated, so top of the range in terms of all the modern insulation, air-to-heat, all of the various technologies available now with a view to keeping the houses warmer and all of the climate agendas that we need to be very, very conscious of."
14 years on the housing list
Jamal and his family will be moving in Monday. He told WLR News that they are over the moon to have a new house:
"[It comes] after a long time on the housing list - since 2008; almost 14 years now! I'm very happy and very glad for me and my wife and my family - we're all very happy to have this chance and to get this new house."
Butterfield was the first in a number of stops for Housing Minister, Darragh O'Brien, in Waterford today.
Affordable housing
He also launched the Affordable Purchase Scheme at City Hall.
Earlier this month, three of those schemes were approved for the county.
Housing Minister, Darragh O'Brien, cuts the ribbon on the new social housing development in Carrickpherish
Minister O'Brien told WLR News that Waterford City and County Council's housing department has been working closely with his own:
"I'm providing the resources, the money and the plans, and we want [the council] to be able to deliver a lot more [houses]. The good thing about being in Waterford here today is that we're going to be launching our new Affordable Purchase Scheme, which is something very close to my heart too.
"I want more social homes, absolutely. But I want affordable homes for working peole, that they can buy and rent at an affordable price."
During his speech ahead of the ribbon-cutting at Butterfield, the Minister described Waterford's local authority as the most progressive in the country when it comes to housing.
"At the housing summit in Dublin earlier this week," he said, "I used both Limerick and Waterford as specific examples of two councils that have been able to tackle the issues of vacancies and dereliction, bringing old properties back.
"I've changed our regulations now to allow old pubs [to be changed to residential units] without planning, which is something I picked up in Waterford last year."
Have a look at today's event below and get all your Waterford news here.
