News

The Housing Agency is delighted to launch its Housing Education Bursary Scheme for the 2023/2024 academic year.

Recent years have seen significant developments in the areas of housing delivery and policy. Housing professionals will play a key role in shaping future developments in the sector. The Housing Agency is committed to supporting the education, training, and development of housing practitioners, as well as those interested in developing a career in housing. The Housing Education Bursary Scheme will empower housing professionals to build resilient and sustainable communities in Ireland.

The Bursary Scheme supports students and housing professionals seeking to enrol in housing studies courses offered by the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) / Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), starting between September 2023 and January 2024. These include:

How to apply

The bursary awards are intended to support those who would otherwise be unable to secure funding for the full course fees from their organisation or other sources. 

Applicants can apply by downloading and completing the Bursary Application Form, and returning it as a PDF to training@housingagency.ie by the closing date/s outlined above.

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday, 18th July 2023

• Increased Cost Rental Eligibility Thresholds from 1 August 2023
• Changes to Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) ensuring AHBs can continue to deliver at scale

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD and the Chief Executive of The Housing Agency, Bob Jordan, today launched the new Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental (STAR) investment scheme. The Scheme aims to invest up to €750m in the delivery of over 4,000 Cost Rental homes, which will benefit from secure tenancies under Cost Rental housing legislation and will be let at a minimum of 25% below comparable market rental levels in high demand urban areas.

The Scheme, which was signaled by the government in April as a Cost Rental viability measure, will assist in addressing viability challenges for developments by providing equity investment to stimulate the creation of Cost Rental accommodation. Private providers and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) can apply to provide Cost Rental homes under the Scheme and the State will make an equity investment available in return for designation of the homes as Cost Rental homes for 50 years.

By increasing the supply of Cost Rental homes, the Scheme will benefit households who are disadvantaged by prevailing market rents, through providing an option of a home for rent at a more affordable level with security of tenure. The Scheme will also support the government’s objectives of compact growth and creating vibrant liveable cities for people who want to live close to work and urban amenities.

The STAR investment scheme will be managed by The Housing Agency on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Housing Agency will be accepting Expressions of Interest from proposers for eligible schemes from 1st August 2023. The Scheme is open to all providers including consortiums, Approved Housing Bodies etc. subject to the eligibility criteria outlined in the Scheme itself.

Commenting on the publication of details of the new Scheme, Minister O’Brien said:

“This new Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental investment scheme will increase the supply of safe and affordable Cost Rental homes at a scale which is crucial to make the rental market work for everybody. The Government is making record investment in housing and we are using every tool at our disposal to activate sites and to boost the construction of new homes at scale. This new scheme provides another avenue for our partners in Approved Housing Bodies, the LDA and our partners in the private sector to help us achieve our ambitious plans as set out under Housing for All.”

The Housing Agency’s CEO, Bob Jordan said:

“The introduction of the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental investment scheme is an important measure that will expand availability of the Cost Rental model and increase the supply of affordable and secure rental homes in high demand areas across Ireland. The Housing Agency looks forward to supporting the implementation of this Scheme. The first step will be inviting expressions of interest for eligible developments from the 1st August 2023.”  

In tandem with the launch of the new Scheme, the government is announcing increased income thresholds for Cost Rental homes, with net household income limits for eligibility of €66,000 in Dublin and €59,000 elsewhere. These will be introduced across the Cost Rental sector from the 1st August 2023, replacing the former national net income limit of €53,000. The increased thresholds recognise that prevailing rents in the private market have increased significantly in recent years and a large cohort of private renters are experiencing severe affordability challenges, particularly in Dublin. The new thresholds will apply to all Cost Rental homes provided under the Affordable Housing Act 2021.

The government has also agreed significant changes to the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) on foot of a recommendation from the Working Group on the Cost Rental Equity Loan. The CREL is available to Approved Housing Bodies which provide Cost Rental homes. The improved loan will see availability of increased levels of loan finance, together with new State equity investment which will improve the ability of Approved Housing Bodies to bring forward Cost Rental homes.

The suite of measures, including the changes to income eligibility, the new STAR investment scheme and the changes to the Cost Rental Equity Loan will work together to ensure that all the avenues for Cost Rental delivery are exploited to achieve the levels of supply needed under Housing for All.

ENDS

Contact:

Communications Manager at communications@housingagency.ie or STARIS@housingagency.ie

Further information

Cost Rental Eligibility

The net household income limit of €53,000 for Cost Rental was set in December 2021, at the time of the first delivery of Cost Rental homes. The real value of this has been eroded by significant inflation since then as capital costs, interest rates and prevailing rents in the private market have all increased. In response new income limits have been agreed which will apply across the Cost Rental sector to all delivery streams – by AHBs, Local Authorities, the LDA, and any Cost Rental landlord. The national net income limit will be raised to €59,000, while a specific Dublin limit will be set at €66,000, to have effect from 1st August 2023.

The Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental (STAR) investment scheme

The Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental (STAR) investment scheme is intended to activate the delivery of Cost Rental homes to let at a minimum of 25% below comparable market rental levels.

The Scheme will be operated and managed on behalf of the Department by The Housing Agency. The Scheme is time limited and subject to a strict sunset clause. All units in receipt of investment will be completed by no later than two years after the commencement date or by the 31st December 2027, whichever is the shorter.

Funding of €0.75 billion will be made available under the Scheme with the expected delivery of over 4,000 homes.

Key Features of the STAR Investment Scheme

Open to all market operators: The Scheme is designed to be open to all market operators. The main criteria is that in exchange for the investment, operators must bring forward suitable proposals that:

• make available 10 plus residential units for Cost Rental tenure at rent levels of at least 25% below market levels. The proposals must deliver new units which have never been previously rented
• formally designate all units funded as Cost Rental dwellings for a period of 50 years.

It will be permissible for consortiums to apply, e.g., a developer may apply by agreement with the intended holder of the Cost Rental homes but the consortium must be led by the long-term owner, operator and manager of the units.

Level of Investment available: In recognition of the pronounced viability challenges in specific areas of Dublin, it is proposed that two rates of investment will apply under STAR, with a maximum investment of €175,000 in Dublin and €150,000 in the rest of the State. In order to incentivise green development, an additional investment of €25,000 will also be made available subject to meeting sustainable development criteria as set out in Section 7.13 of the scheme.

At the end of the term of the Agreement (50 years) there will be three options for operators:

• Extend the agreement for an agreed period (with the dwellings remaining in Cost Rental usage)
• Make a repayment to the State, together with an uplift if the asset has increased in value, and exit Cost Rental designation
• The State may exercise an option to purchase the dwellings from the owner for market value, taking account of the State’s investment in the properties

Changes to the Cost Rental Equity Loan

Overall State funding to increase from 45% up to 55% of capital costs, on a sliding scale as necessary for viability at appropriate rent levels.

CREL loans (on existing favourable terms) to be joined with new State equity investment element (up to a maximum of 20% equity).

‘Accelerated CREL’ pre-completion drawdowns to be extended to support AHBs in forward funding turn-key acquisition projects, in order to secure more competitive acquisition or development costs.

April

• The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage released their monthly homelessness report for February 2023, which found that 8,369 adults and 3,373 children were accessing homelessness accommodation during the week of 20th – 26th February.
• The Government approved the publication of the General Scheme of the Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones Bill 2022.
• The Housing for All Q1 2023 Progress Report was published, which indicated there were 27,309 construction commencements in the last 12 months and 10, 263 social homes were delivered in 2022.
• The Cost Rental Tenant in-Situ Scheme was announced, which is available where a tenant household faces the termination of their tenancy due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. The Housing Agency is playing a key role in the new scheme.
• The Social Housing Construction Projects Status Report Q4 2022 was published and shows that 6,525 social homes are currently onsite with an additional 12,733 homes at design and tender stage. In Quarter 4 2022, 147 new The Housing Agency Page 5 of 10 construction schemes, (713 homes) were added to the pipeline. In total the Construction Status Report provides details on 30,766 new build social homes across 1,839 schemes.
• The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage released their monthly homelessness report for March 2023, which found that 8,516 adults and 3,472 children were accessing homelessness accommodation during the week of 20th – 26th March 2023.

May

• On 1st May, The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, and the Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, Kieran O’Donnell, announced €83.125 million in national funding for Housing Adaptation Grants for Older and Disabled People for 2023.This is a 2.3% increase on the initial 2022 funding allocation and represents a continuation of the year-on-year increases in the grant since 2014.
• On 4th May, The Cabinet agreed the publication of the Residential Construction Cost Study Report, a joint initiative of the Construction Sector Group and the government under the Housing for All strategy. The study promotes measures for a reduction in residential construction cost and increased standardisation in residential construction activities.
• The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Statistics were published for January to March 2023. The findings indicated 767 applications had been received - 379 for Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and 387 for Derelict Property Top-up Grant. 312 applications had been approved and 43 applicated were rejected. 1 vacant property refurbishment grant had been issued by Mayo County Council.
• The Department of Housing has published its monthly data on the number of Commencements Notices (residential construction starts) for April 2023.The figures for April show a 10% increase on the same month last year.

June

• The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage released their monthly Homeless Report for April 2023, which found that 8,665 adults and 3,594 children were in emergency accommodation during the week of 24th-30th April.
• The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage released their quarterly Local Authority Homeless Performance Report for Q1 2023, which indicated during Quarter 1 a a combined total of 1,454 adults, as well as their dependants, exited or were prevented from entering emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy being created, an increase of 15% on the same period last year.
• On 7th June, the ‘Our Living Islands’ policy was launched, which is a 10-year national policy for off-shore islands. The aim of the policy is to ensure that sustainable, vibrant communities can continue to live – and thrive – on the offshore islands for many years to come. This is the first new national islands policy in 27 years.
• The winners of the ‘Town Centre Living’ Architectural Design Competitions were announced - providing innovative designs for four social housing schemes in town centre sites in Castleblayney, Kildare, Roscrea and Sligo.
• The Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage is introducing a new pilot scheme to provide grants for expert conservation advice to owners of vacant farmhouses in private ownership who are availing of and/or considering the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. The Conservation Advice Grant Scheme for Vacant Traditional Farmhouses will provide grants of up to €7,500 (ex VAT) to cover the cost of having a conservation expert with proven and appropriate expertise visit a property, conduct a survey, and compile tailored conservation advice for the property owner.

Relevant publications:

RTB Data Publication Update May 2023 – RTB - 30 May 2023

Irish Rental Report Q1 2023 – Daft.ie – 15 May 2023

‘Housing tenure, health and public healthcare coverage in Ireland’ – ESRI – 15th June 2023

‘The State of Housing in Europe’ – Housing Europe – 20th June 2023

PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, 22nd June 2023

New awareness campaign to be rolled out to increase visibility of National Housing Strategy for Disabled People

The Implementation Plan for the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022 - 2027 was launched today (22.06.2023) by Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, Kieran O’Donnell, T.D., and the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte, T.D. The Plan will deliver on the primary objective of the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022 – 2027, which is ‘to facilitate disabled people to live independently with the appropriate choices and control over where, how and with whom they live, promoting their inclusion in the community’.

An awareness campaign on the Strategy and the Implementation Plan was also launched today.  The purpose of the campaign is to promote the Strategy and its Implementation Plan locally and nationally with stakeholders, the general public, and throughout the disability sector through various platforms.

The campaign will ensure the housing needs of disabled people are afforded a high level of visibility at local and national level in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities UNCRPD principles.  The campaign will feature adverts in regional newspapers and news sites, the sharing of videos of disabled people on their views of the Strategy across online platforms, poster campaigns on public transport and in train stations.  It is expected that the local Housing and Disability Steering groups in each county in Ireland will build on the national campaign and undertake awareness raising activities in their areas.  The awareness campaign will be ongoing and run for the lifetime of the Strategy.

Welcoming the launch of the Implementation Plan and the awareness campaign, Bob Jordan, Chief Executive Officer of The Housing Agency, said “We welcome the launch of the Implementation Plan for the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People. This implementation plan aims to provide real sustainable housing solutions for disabled people, and for delivery to be done in a coordinated and collaborative way. Furthermore, the awareness campaign that is being launched today is an opportunity to raise awareness with disabled people, families, the general public and others on the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People and the emphasis it places on disabled people being supported to live independently and be included in the community, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

The Strategy and the Implementation Plan were developed under the guiding principles of Housing for All – the Government’s housing plan to 2030.  The National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027 was launched in January 2022 and is available here.

The Implementation Plan for the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027 is available to view here.

ENDS

Contact:

Sarah Kennedy, Communications Manager at communications@housingagency.ie or mobile 086 371 5628

The Housing Agency and Housing Europe co-hosted an event entitled The Ground Beneath Our Feet - public land use and delivery of affordable housing on the 7th June at the Social Housing Festival in Barcelona. 

Land is fundamental to the delivery of housing. It is literally the foundation upon which housing is built, and those who control it, thus, also effectively control the delivery of new housing. In the context of insufficient availability of affordable housing in many regions, this event will look at the different ways in which government is using strong land management policies to boost the delivery of new social & affordable homes. This workshop included presentations from a variety of experts, listed below:

12:40-12:45 | Welcoming remarks and event agenda
• Dara Turnbull, Housing Europe
12:45-13:05 | Active public land management toolkit – The #Housing2030 approach
• Julie Lawson, RMIT University
13:05-13:15 | Starting from scratch – the new Irish Land Development Agency
• Dearbhla Lawson, Irish Land Development Agency
13:15-13:25 | Managing a scarce resource – public land management in Barcelona
• Ivan Ruiz Gallardo, Barcelona Municipal Housing Department
13:25-13:35 | Public land management that drives innovation – the Vienna model
• Bernd Riessland from the Austrian Federation of Limited-Profit Housing Associations (GBV), Vienna
13:35-13:45 | Public land management in a housing system in transition
• Mojca Štritof-Brus, Housing Fund of the Republic of Slovenia
13:45-14:00 | Q&A with the speakers
• Moderated by Dara Turnbull, Housing Europe

A full recording of the event can be viewed on our YouTube channel: The Ground Beneath Our Feet full recording.

Slides from the event can be downloaded here: The Ground Beneath Our Feet slides.

You may also be interested in The Housing Agency's series of webinars on land, more information can be found here: Talking about Land series.

Finally, the Housing 2030 report is an excellent resource which can be accessed here: Housing 2030 report.

The speaker presentations from the Housing Practitioners' Conference, held in The Strand Hotel, Co. Limerick on the 11th and 12th May have been published. 

The conference, organised by The Housing Agency, in collaboration with the Institute of Public Administration addressed the theme "Housing for All: Lessons from Practice". There were a number of plenary sessions with presentations on sustainability, supply, vacancy, affordability and more. The conference featured a range of workshops on topics including modern methods of construction, trauma-informed care, Traveller specific accommodation and approved housing body regulation. 

Download the speaker presentations linked in the attached programme here: Housing Practitioners' Conference Presentations 

Download the full agenda from the day here: Housing Practitioners' Conference Programme

PRESS RELEASE

11th May, 2023

The Housing Agency secures support to advance retrofitting in multi-apartment buildings

- Research to contribute towards reducing energy poverty and meeting Ireland’s net-zero emission targets -

The Housing Agency will receive support under the European Commission Technical Support Instrument (TSI) for a multi-country project involving Ireland, Austria and Lithuania on building decarbonisation. The project will include research of multi-unit developments’ (MUDs) finances and governance, to advance methods of whole-of-building retrofitting in apartment buildings. Retrofitting apartment buildings will contribute towards meeting Ireland’s net-zero emission targets, and reduce the risk of energy poverty.

The announcement was made at the Housing Agency’s Housing Practitioners’ conference taking place in Limerick today and tomorrow. The conference, organised in collaboration with the Institute of Public Administration will address the theme "Housing for All: Lessons from Practice" and will cover topics including sustainability, supply, vacancy, affordability and more.

Speaking today about the successful research support application, Bob Jordan, CEO, The Housing Agency said: “Homes throughout Ireland, including a significant number of people living in apartments, are experiencing energy poverty and struggling to keep their homes warm. Retrofitting homes is an important action in tackling energy poverty and creating warmer and healthier homes. This is particularly pertinent for renters and low-income dwellers.

“The number of apartments in Ireland has increased by 85 per cent from 2002 to 2016, and we know that a significant proportion of apartments require retrofitting. Retrofitting MUDs could present a unique opportunity to retrofit at scale - a well-designed retrofit programme will deliver the successful upgrade of dozens or hundreds of homes in one project. 

“However, there are a number of challenges in retrofitting MUDs, such as financing the project, and complicated ownership structures which can inhibit motivation and owner engagement to retrofit.

“This project to be undertaken thanks to the European Commission support will identify pathways to deliver retrofitting at scale and increase the energy performance of Irish apartment MUDs, as well as contributing to reaching Ireland’s net-zero emissions targets.”

Challenges in carrying out necessary retrofitting in apartment MUDs include:

• Access to funding and credit finance;
• Complex and fragmented ownership structures, including private and public / social tenures; and
• Suboptimal governance of the buildings.

The project is expected to commence in Q3 of 2023, with a view to being completed by the end of 2024.

The support was awarded under the 2023 cycle of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support Technical Support Instrument (TSI).

Further information on The Housing Agency is available here:  http://www.housingagency.ie. 

ENDS

Contact: Sorcha MacMahon / Emily Brennan, Alice Public Relations, Tel: 087-7585337 / 086-1658629, Email: media@alicepr.com

Notes to Editors:

About The Housing Agency

The Housing Agency supports the development of sustainable communities across Ireland. It works to meet the nation’s housing needs by:

• Rolling out new housing projects and co-ordinating programmes that can transform how we live. 
• Using data and research to provide evidence-based solutions.
• Advising the Government on housing policies.
• Collaborating with all those involved in the housing sector in Ireland to ensure we are working as effectively as possible. 

A State-funded body governed by an independent Board, The Housing Agency works mainly with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, local authorities and non-profit housing providers.

Follow The Housing Agency on Twitter: @HousingAgencyIE.

Press release originally issued by Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on 28th April 2023

The Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has re-appointed Mr. Michael Carey as Chair to the Board of the Housing Agency until April 2028.

In making the announcement, the Minister expressed his appreciation of the dedication and commitment that Mr. Carey has given to the Housing Agency since he joined as Chairperson in 2018.

Commenting, Minister O’Brien said:

“Given the level of experience, leadership and skills Mr. Carey undoubtedly possesses and his commitment to the Housing Agency over the last five years, as we work through the ambitious Housing for All Plan I look forward to continuing to work with the Housing Agency to achieve the goals set out in the Plan.”

Written by Karl Burke, of The Housing Agency's research team. 

The Housing Agency’s Data Insight Series seeks to inform housing practitioners and the public about topical housing issues by presenting data is a visual and accessible format. Launched in September, to date, four issues have been published with the most recent release in April 2023.

The third iteration of the data insights series explored two challenges that are facing Irish families and communities with the cost of living – housing costs and energy prices.

In relation to housing, there are two primary concerns – accelerated housing costs for both homeowners’ and renters, and a growth in the number of people presenting as homeless. The current findings from the Housing Agency’s data insights series show that prior to early 2015, costs for homeowners and renters were reasonably stable. However, since then, both indicators have been steadily increasing overtime. For example, in January 2020, the national median sale price of housing was €255,000 and the national standardised average rent for new tenancies was €1,287 in Q1 2020. Prices continued to rise in early 2021 where the median sale price had risen to €270,000 and the average rent on new tenancies rose to €1,341. The latest data shows that in November 2022, the median sale price of housing stands at €310,000 while the standardised average rent on new tenancies is €1,481.

On energy prices, many households across Ireland have experienced increased costs in heating their homes since the war in Ukraine began. The European Union have imposed restrictions on fossil fuel imports from Russia. This in turn has led the EU to re-evaluate its heavy reliance on Russian energy, particularly within mainland Europe. Findings from this data insights series shows that in the first half of 2020, households were paying an average gas price of 6.73 cents per kWh and paying an average 23.05 cents per kWh on electricity. By the end of 2021, average gas and electricity prices paid by households had increased to 7.93 cents per kWh for gas and 28.23 cents per kWh for electricity. As of early 2022, the average gas price paid by households was 8.51 cents per kWh. Interestingly, average prices paid for electricity had declined to 26.45 cents per kWh.

While housing and energy costs are likely to remain an issue for the foreseeable future, there are positive signs that energy prices will fall, and the Government has been taking action to tackle challenges related to the cost-of-living increase. The announcement of Budget 2023 contained a list of measures to help financially support families across the country. This included supports such as the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme II which allowed for all domestic electricity customers in the country to be allocated €600 in credits (€200 over 3 stages) to aid with reducing electricity bills for households. Supports also included a €400 lump sum in Fuel Allowance and a double lump sum in Child Benefit to all recipients of those payments. Additionally, a €470 million package was recently announced by the Government to assist social protection recipients from April to July 2023. The measures include temporary reductions in VAT on gas and electricity, from 13.5% to 9%, which will be extended to 31 October 2023.

All issues of the Data Insight Series can be accessed through this link. Previous issues researched Student Accommodation (Issue 1) and Irish Government Housing Expenditure (Issue 2). Issue 4 of the insights series released in April covers Women and Housing.

Further data visualisation resources are available on the Housing Agency’s Data Hub at this link.

This article was originally posted on the Chartered Institute of Housing website. 

In October 2022, the Irish Architectural Foundation and The Housing Agency launched the Housing Unlocked exhibition. Running until mid-February 2023, this exhibition showcased eight innovative ideas to unlock housing delivery in Ireland. With over 25,000 visitors, this was a very popular event with practitioners and the general public.

On the 31st March, The Housing Agency held an event aimed to investigate the possibility of translating these ideas into practical actions that could provide new homes. The ‘Housing Unlocked - Making it Happen’ event involved presentations of each of the eight ideas to a targeted audience of housing practitioners. The presentations were followed by panel discussions and audience contributions to discuss the potential of realising these proposals.

The panels were made up of the following experts in housing, local government and planning.

Panel 1
• Robert Burns – Director of Services, Housing, Fingal County Council
• Sarah Neary – Principal Advisor, Built Environment, DHLGH
• Joan McMahon – Senior Architectural Advisor, DHLGH
• Karen Kenny – Senior Advisor, Planning, DHLGH

Panel 2
• Claire Feeney, Director of Services and Inclusion, The Housing Agency
• Tom Gilligan, Director of Services, Housing, Mayo County Council
• Cllr. Dermot Lacey, Dublin City Council
• Stewart Logan, Senior Planning Advisor, DHLGH

To read a report of the event please visit this link: Housing Unlocked – Making it Happen Event Report.

To read the official Housing Unlocked – Making it Happen document, which outlines the eight proposals and summarises the actions required to turn these ideas into reality, please visit this link: Housing Unlocked – Making it Happen.