News

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, has given approval in principle for Ireland’s first Cost Rental Homes, delivering on a key commitment in the Programme for Government, under Housing for All.

It is intended that the Housing Agency will manage and administer the Scheme on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Housing Agency will oversee the administration of the loan arrangements including the drafting of the Agreement for the Cost Rental Equity Loan (“CREL”) and will manage the due diligence on each proposal up until the signing of the CREL Loan.

In Budget 2021, €35 million was made available to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to deliver approximately 350 cost rental homes in 2021 at rates which are a minimum 25% below open market values. An additional 50 cost rental homes at Enniskerry Road, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown are also due to be completed this year supported by the Department’s Serviced Sites Fund.

Following a competitive assessment process, approval has been given to three AHBs, Clúid, Respond and Tuath, for a total of 390 cost rental homes. These developments are spread across Dublin, the GDA and Cork, with precise locations to be published on completion of commercial and contractual arrangements.  Subject to the application, the Housing Finance Agency has also made financing of up to €100m available to support schemes approved under this measure.

Minister O’Brien commented: “Shortly before Christmas I put out a call to our AHBs asking them to submit proposals for Cost Rental homes. They responded enthusiastically and the standard of the proposals received is extremely high. I believe this is really encouraging for the future expansion of the scheme.

“Cost Rental is a new form of tenure in Ireland where tenants will pay rent that covers the costs of delivering, managing, and maintaining the homes only. Through the Affordable Housing Bill 2020, Cost Rental will be placed on a statutory footing and the conditions and operational matters for cost rental are being finalised as part of this process.

“The collective experience in bringing on stream these first cost rental homes in the State will be used to inform the ongoing policy development process. This will support the wider roll out of the model across local authorities, the Land Development Agency and Approved Housing Bodies.

“These homes will be made available to middle income households with a reduction of at least 25% on open market rental values.  It is my firm commitment that we build on this new scheme and expand it further so that many more tenants live securely in cost rental homes,” he concluded.

The Housing Agency recently presented a webinar of international experts delivering insights into the regulation and management of apartments and multi-unit developments. 

With apartment living on the rise, this recording will be of interest to a wide audience including housing practitioners, professionals, regulators and officials, scholars, and providers.

Speakers explored innovations and trends affecting apartment/condominium living in their countries, and what the future may hold. The implications of the pandemic for apartment living will be considered.

All information correct as of broadcast date. The views expressed in the recording below do not necessarily represent the views of The Housing Agency. Broadcast date: 15 December 2020. Click below to watch:

This webinar featured contributions from the following international speakers, followed by roundtable/Q&A

The Housing Agency is delighted to announce the winner of the 2020 Housing Agency Essay Prize competition. This prize is awarded to the most original student essay submitted for assessment as part of the Institute of Public Administration’s Professional Diploma in Housing Studies. This year’s winner is:

Marcus Campbell, for his essay ‘A Right to Decorate: An Uncouched Defence of the Private Rental as Home’.

In addition, there were two runner-up prizes awarded. These were:

Fiona Dunkin, for her essay ‘Building our Future: The Impact of Housing Tenure on the Emotional Wellbeing of Children in Ireland’

and

Rachel Lowe, for her essay ‘Affordable Housing for Ireland:  Affordability Issues, Scheme Options, Policy Pathways’.

The Housing Agency would like to congratulate the winner and the runners-up on the quality of their essays, the originality of their research, and their engagement with public policy. It is anticipated that the winning entry will be published on The Housing Agency’s website in early 2021.

The Housing Agency is committed to supporting the education, training, and development of Ireland’s housing practitioners. For more information on the education and training options available for housing practitioners, please see housingtraining.ie. Information about the Institute of Public Administration’s Professional Diploma in Housing Studies, as well as other courses relevant to housing practitioners, can be found here and here. 

The Housing Agency and the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) jointly hosted a lunchtime webinar on the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants in managed residential estates, such as apartment developments.

David Rouse, advisor with The Housing Agency, discussed legal relationships in managed estates, and the relevance of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 to landlords and tenants. Emer Morrissey, Assistant Director, Head of Dispute Resolution at the RTB, addressed rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants and dispute resolution in the context of managed estates.

The views expressed by the speakers in this video are not necessarily those of The Housing Agency. All information correct as of broadcast date: 3 November 2020.

Ireland shares many housing challenges with other developed economies, for example, providing the right housing in the right places, addressing affordability and ensuring that our housing stock contributes to sustainability - both sustainable communities and environmental sustainability.

Delivered in a virtual format, The Housing Agency's Housing Conference 2020 will explore these challenges in themed mid-morning sessions over the course of a week. Each session will provide expert input, followed by questions and discussion.

The final session will provide an opportunity for housing practitioners to network and learn about opportunities to further their professional skills and career development.

Participation in each webinar is free, but advance registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Download the Housing Conference 2020 Agenda

To register for each webinar please click one of the links below:

All times above are Irish Standard Time

Please note that these sessions may be recorded for future use.
 

The Housing Agency's vision is to promote sustainable communities.

Recently The Housing Agency hosted 'Building Sustainable Communities: National & International Perspectives', a series of webinars that considered some of the key elements of future resilient and sustainable communities. Many thanks to our expert speakers for contributing to the series.

Aligning the provision of housing with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing, The European Green Deal, and the National Climate Action Plan 2019 is a response to ensure that housing will be put on a more resilient and sustainable path.

The positive impact of housing and communities; economic effectiveness; inclusion and participation; and cultural adequacy (Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing). The Autumn webinar series built on topics discussed in the Summer webinar series and explores four topics which can facilitate a more resilient and sustainable approach to housing: EU funding for building sustainable housing; the German DGNB Sustainable Building Certification; Community led town centre regeneration; and Sustainable Transport and Housing.

Please click below to view each webinar. Alternatively, view the complete playlist on The Housing Agency's YouTube channel.

The views expressed by the speakers in these videos are not necessarily those of The Housing Agency. All information correct as of broadcast date.

• Financing the future of housing: Insights on EU funding for sustainable housing from across Europe
  A panel featuring: Lily Maxwell, European Federation for Living; York Ostermeyer, Chalmers University; and  Marie Longueville-Chouteau, Vilogia. (15 Oct 2020)
   
• People Power: Community-led town centre regeneration in Dumfries, Scotland
  Scott Mackay, Midsteeple Quarter project (22 Oct 2020)
   
• Mobility makes sense: Walkability, neighbourhood design and the future of mobility and housing in Ireland
  Lorraine Darcy, Technological University Dublin (30 Oct 2020)
   
• Making sustainability happen: Insights from Germany on the DGNB Sustainable Building Certification System.
  Levan Ekhvaia and Stephan Anders, DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) (5 Nov 2020)

The State could save €900 million over 30 years[i] as a result of direct public investment in Supported Housing for older people, research conducted by The Housing Agency has found.

‘Thinking Ahead: The Financial Benefits of Investing in Supported Housing for Older People’, found that, by supporting people to live in homes suited to their needs, an average annual Government saving of €4,650[ii] per person can be made, compared to that individual remaining in their current home or moving into long term residential care.

The figures are based on the provision of Supported Housing for 11,400 people over the next 10 years, a number derived from expected projections in Ireland’s population aged over 80 during this time period.[iii] 

Supported Housing is housing built specifically for older people, offering some level of care and support.

At the launch of this research today, co-authors Roslyn Molloy and Rory Mulholland outlined the range of Supported Housing options explored and the benefits derived from each:

·        Independent Living accommodation (where a low level of additional services would be required) provided through social housing for one older person would generate an annual benefit of €4,700.

·        Assisted Living accommodation (where there may be a healthcare manager, housing manager, or an activities coordinator on site, and day care/primary care centres nearby) provided through social housing for one older person would generate an annual benefit of €5,200.

·        Specialised Living accommodation (where social and healthcare staff would be on-site, meals would be provided, and care supports would be available 24-7, similar to nursing home care) provided through social housing for one older person would generate an annual benefit of €2,200.

Privately-funded Supported Housing could potentially generate annual savings of €4,000, €9,200 and €20,000 for each accommodation type respectively. Additional savings from private provision are due to the absence of capital costs being met up-front by the State.

Launching the report, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Peter Burke TD, said:

“As a nation we are living longer, and the number of older people in our population is set to grow significantly in the next ten years. In response, this Government recognises the need to plan ahead to meet the housing and healthcare needs of an ageing population. This research is a significant step in our ongoing work in this area.”

Chief Executive of The Housing Agency, John O’Connor, said:

“While this research began pre- Covid-19, its relevance as we continue to deal with the global pandemic is clear. This year has shown us the power of community.

“Through Supported Housing, many older people can remain in their own communities and maintain a level of independence that would otherwise be lost. It strengthens their connection to family and friends, and provides them with a secure home.

“For many people, residential nursing home care may be the most appropriate form of care into their later years. However, for many the availability of a Supported Housing option would provide a welcome alternative and come with a significant saving to the State. Such savings come from preventing or delaying the need for an older person to access nursing home care, but also by reducing the care needs of those who would otherwise stay in standard accommodation.”

Research outlined in Thinking Ahead: The Financial Benefits of Investing in Housing for Older People was conducted as part of a range of recommended actions under the policy statement ‘Housing Options for Our Ageing Population’, published by the Government in March 2019. 

The Housing Agency and the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) will jointly host a lunchtime webinar on the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants in managed residential estates, such as apartment developments.

David Rouse, advisor with The Housing Agency, will discuss legal relationships in managed estates, and the relevance of the Multi-Unit Developments Act 2011 to landlords and tenants.

Emer Morrissey, Assistant Director, Head of Dispute Resolution at the RTB, will address rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants and dispute resolution in the context of managed estates.

The hour-long session will take place at 12pm on Tuesday 3 November 2020.

Click here to register

Registration is required to participate in this free webinar. To register please click above or visit https://zoom.us/j/93563175057?pwd=Y1NVYUFVQnZGSW5RZm0yY0gra2l1dz09. Places are limited to 1,000 participants, on a first-come first-served basis.

Webinar Programme

• Introduction & background
• Presentations:
  • David Rouse, The Housing Agency
  • Emer Morrissey, Residential Tenancies Board
  • Q&A

Please note that this session will be recorded for future use.

The Housing Agency has  welcomed the announcement of significant investment in housing in Ireland, as set out in Budget 2021.

With a total housing allocation of €3.3 billion – a 24 per cent increase on Budget 2020 –Budget 2021 provides not only the largest investment in housing in Ireland to date, it also indicates a significant commitment to a long-term approach to addressing Ireland’s housing and homelessness challenges.

Welcoming the €110m package of affordability measures outlined at the comprehensive budget briefing from the Minister for Housing, Local Government, and Heritage today, The Housing Agency’s Chief Executive John O’Connor said:

“The Housing Agency welcomes Minister O’Brien’s commitment to a sustainable, and long-term investment in affordable homes for purchase or rent. Our vision is to promote sustainable homes and communities; this budget represents a commitment to that vision.

“In particular, we welcome the investment in affordable purchase shared equity and cost rental homes. Long-term investment in affordable housing is a critical measure to achieve affordability for households into the future.

“With plans to deliver 12,750 new social homes through build, acquisition and leasing programmes, including building 9,500 new social homes, The Housing Agency looks forward to working with the Minister and his Department to achieve the ambitious targets set out in the Budget.

“We will also work with local authorities, approved housing bodies, and the broader housing sector to deliver a sustainable investment in affordable homes for purchase or rent.

“The Housing Agency’s role in housing policy, support and delivery has expanded in recent years, the allocation of €10.8m to the Agency reflects our commitment to deliver homes in sustainable communities to meet current and future needs.”

Download our Infographic

Aligning the provision of housing with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing, The European Green Deal, and the National Climate Action Plan 2019 is a response to ensure that housing will be put on a more resilient and sustainable path.

The positive impact of  housing and communities  can  be  increased  through  the  application  of  principles  of  environmental  protection;  economic  effectiveness;  social inclusion and participation; and cultural adequacy (Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing). The Autumn webinar series builds on topics discussed in the Summer webinar series and explores four topics which can facilitate a more resilient and sustainable approach to housing: EU funding for building sustainable housing; the DGNB Sustainable Building Certification; Community led town centre regeneration; and Sustainable Transport and Housing.  

They are presented in a weekly one-hour webinar which provides an opportunity to learn about interesting research from national and international experts, discuss the latest developments, and engage with ongoing projects.

Participation in each webinar is free, but advance registration is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

To register for each webinar please click one of the links below:

Please note that these sessions may be recorded for future use.