This week saw the Government launch its new housing plan which will aim to tackle Ireland’s housing shortage by building 300,000 new homes over the course of the next five years.
‘Delivering Homes, Building Communities: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness’, plans to boost supply by increasing construction capacity and the amount of zoned and serviced land, and to increase support for vulnerable groups, according to proposals published on Thursday.
Housing Minister James Browne said the plan will help reduce the number of children experiencing homelessness.
The overall target for the plan is to deliver 303,000 new homes by the end of 2030, an average of 50,500 per year.
Minister Browne said the effort to build over 300,000 homes, including 72,000 social homes, by 2030 was “ambitious but also realistic.”
The plan commits €28.2bn of state funding to housing, including €12.2bn for water and wastewater services and €3.5bn for the power grid. Additional money will go to an infrastructure fund and a “housing activation office” to unblock bottlenecks, Minister Browne said.
The government wants to convert more vacant shops and premises into homes by providing funding of up to €140,000 per property. Derelict homes are to be restored through vacant property refurbishment grants.
The plan will offer housing and special support to homeless people, older people, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
Minister Browne said the Government wanted to move away from yearly targets, adding that its focus was now on activating supply.
It will be divided into two sections: one focused on activating land for housing, and the other on supports for people, including those in emergency accommodation and older adults.
It will also increase the annual social housing target by 1,800 to 12,000 units per year.
In total, 303,000 new homes are planned by the end of 2030.
The plan also proposes the construction of 90,000 starter homes over the next five years — or 18,000 annually.
The Land Development Agency (LDA) will receive an additional €2.5bn in funding, bringing its total allocation to €8.75bn.
The LDA will also have an expanded remit, allowing it to purchase private land and deliver private housing.
Key measures in the new plan to activate supply include:
- Investing record levels of funding in critical infrastructure to support housing and economic competitiveness over the next 5 years, with;
- €3.5 billion in equity earmarked for energy projects with ESB Networks and Eirgrid
- €12.2 billion secured for water and wastewater services
- €24.3 billion for the transport sector including low carbon transport projects such as Metrolink.
- Almost €20 billion to support delivery of new social and affordable homes.
- Capitalising the LDA with a further €2.5 billion.
- New €1 billion Infrastructure Investment Fund - to support the work of the new Housing Activation Office to address project barriers.
- Zoning land for 300,000 homes.
- A series of measures to unlock apartment delivery including - a reduction in the VAT rate, an exemption from corporation tax for cost rental homes, an enhanced corporation tax deduction and changes to Planning Design Standards for Apartments
Critical measures in the new plan to support people include:
- Dedicated capital funding of €100 million in 2026 for the acquisition of second hand properties to support the exit of families longest in homeless emergency accommodation and the Housing First programme.
- Implementation of a cross-departmental and cross-agency action plan to address Child and Family homelessness urgently.
- Significantly expanding the ‘Housing First’ Programme by over 50% - this will provide over 2,000 tenancies to support rough sleepers and long term uses of emergency accommodation with secure housing.
- Establishing rent controls on a national basis and introducing legislation to provide stronger protections for tenants.
- Delivering an average of 12,000 social homes every year to 2030, providing more homes for to reduce long-term family homelessness, prevent people from experiencing homelessness and support people on low incomes.
- Providing 15,000 affordable supports annually through the ‘Starter Homes’ programme.
A full copy of the plan can be found here.
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