Posted: Oct 16, 2023 / By:
CommunicationsCategories:
The Housing Agency, on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has launched a new information website for affordable housing schemes called affordablehomes.ie. The website provides information on the Affordable Purchase and Cost Rental schemes as well as other supports available such as the Help to Buy scheme and the Local Authority Home Loan. The website contains step-by-step guideson the different schemes available, a set of FAQs and a section where any available properties can be advertised.
Posted: Oct 16, 2023 / By:
CommunicationsCategories:
To register your interest in attending the next Tenant Engagement Workshop please complete your information at the following link - register your interest.
Tenant engagement is an important part of international best practice in the delivery of housing & housing services. It includes activities ranging from the effective distribution of information among tenants, through to the involvement of tenants in housing management, governance, and ownership.
International research has demonstrated the benefits that accrue from tenant engagement policies, both for tenants and housing providers. In Ireland, tenant engagement is a growing field. Some housing providers have invested in dedicated tenant engagement teams, but the principles and practices of tenant engagement are of relevance to all those working in housing delivery and management.
The Housing Agency is collaborating with Supporting Communities, Northern Ireland’s Independent Tenant Organisation, to deliver a half-day workshop for Irish housing practitioners working in roles involving tenant engagement practice. The workshop will allow participants to learn about what tenant engagement involves and how they can contribute to the practice in their own work. Topics such as organisational culture and it’s importance to tenant engagement practices, and examples of good practice examples are also included in the training.
Please note that this workshop is a repeat of the workshop delivered in July 2021 and October 2022.
This workshop is aimed at housing practitioners working in roles that involve tenant engagement practices, who are relatively new to those practices and / or have not participated in a previous Tenant Engagement workshops delivered by The Housing Agency in 2021 & 2022.
How do I sign up?
The workshop is free, but places are limited. Participants should be housing practitioners working in roles that involve tenant engagement practices who have not participated in a previous Tenant Engagement workshop delivered by The Housing Agency.
To attend a session, please reserve your place by Monday 6th November 2023 for the session on 9th November, or by Monday 13th November 2023 for the session on 16th November.
Registered participants will receive a Zoom meeting link in advance of their chosen session.
Posted: Oct 16, 2023 / By:
CommunicationsCategories:
The Housing Agency is thrilled to have been awarded a Great Place to Work® Ireland certification. The Great Place to Work Certification demonstrates The Housing Agency's commitment to providing an excellent working environment for our staff to feel proud and valued for the work they do.
The Housing Agency signed the Diversity Charter in July 2023
In July 2023, The Housing Agency signed the Diversity Charter. By signing Diversity Charter Ireland, we in The Housing Agency are demonstrating our commitment to promoting diversity, equality and inclusion as living values so that we:
a) Attract, recruit and promote talented people who will contribute their best and play their part in promoting a culture where we can bring our diversity to work to support innovation, creativity, improved performance and decision-making.
b) Prevent discrimination and promote equality for groups covered in the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 and the Equal Status Acts 2000-2018, that is, age, civil status, disability, family status, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation and membership of the Traveller Community.
c) Continually cultivate an environment that demonstrates dignity and respect for the diversity of our employees, customers, clients, suppliers, subcontractors, partners, shareholders, i.e., all internal and external stakeholders.
d) Build awareness and understanding of the benefits for people, organisations and society of promoting diversity, equality and inclusion.
Diversity Charter Ireland is a network of signatory organisations seeking to build best practice in promoting diversity, equality and inclusion in their workplaces.
By signing Diversity Charter Ireland, organisations make public a statement of commitment, to address diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace in a framework that is tailored to the Irish context. You can find out more about Diversity Charter Ireland here - Diversity Charter Ireland
Posted: Oct 09, 2023 / By:
CommunicationsCategories:
Article originally printed in the Business Post, Sunday 8th October 2023
Everyone needs a roof over their heads and somewhere warm, safe and comfortable to call home – and the Housing Agency, a state-funded body, working mainly with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) works to meet the nation’s housing needs.
The agency’s work includes providing evidence-informed insights to help inform policy development and supporting policy implementation, enabling the delivery of housing for different groups and building capacity and agility across the housing sector.
As part of its remit to build capacity in the sector, the agency organised a Leadership in Housing Conference which took place on Friday, September 29 in Dublin Castle. It brought together senior housing professionals to network and engage with expert speakers.
The aim of the event was to inspire senior leaders in housing to bring about change with the key message being that leaders who are “impactful and agile” are crucial to ensuring the housing sector adapts to change and overcomes challenges to deliver new homes and vibrant communities.
Bob Jordan, chief executive of the Housing Agency, said that leaders in housing faced several challenges as they made decisions today which would impact Ireland’s long-term future. He said that it was important to incorporate social changes into housing stock for future generations. He invited delegates to “step outside their comfort zone” in order to deal with challenges.
“The purpose for the conference is to bring together leaders in the housing sector to discuss the type of leadership that will bring us through the challenges we are currently facing,” he said.
“The conference is an opportunity for attendees to stand back from their day jobs and think about how they are approaching leadership currently. The broad range of speakers from across all sectors provides an opportunity for us to move outside our own sector and start new conversations.”
Michael Carey, chairman of the Housing Agency, agreed and said that everyone in attendance could play a role in shaping the agenda for housing – and the leadership issues across both private and public sector were the same. He said that progress could only be made through “clarity of plan, allocation of resources and unambiguous monitoring of progress and consequently taking action when a plan is not making progress”.
“The Leadership in Housing conference is a real opportunity to bring together the best of our senior housing professionals working across the sector to give them an opportunity to share ideas and hear from expert speakers about the importance of effective leadership,” he said.
“As we all know, we face significant challenges in the housing sector – but effective leadership can have a profound impact on our progress in providing good quality, affordable homes in sustainable communities. We must strive to continue to implement innovative solutions, promote policy changes, and foster collaboration among various stakeholders.”
Pictured delivering his address during the second panel discussion at The Housing Agency’s Leadership in Housing conference was Dr Sam Tsemberis, clinical psychologist and founder of Housing First. Photo by Marc O'Sullivan
The speakers addressing the conference came from a broad range of professional backgrounds, both inside and outside the sector, and drew on their own personal experiences, while looking at the characteristics of effective and impactful leadership when facing complex issues.
These issues can cover a multitude of situations, each as relevant at the last – and Noeline Blackwell, chief executive at the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, said that being a good leader and helping to make the right decisions was vital, regardless of the problems to be solved.
She said that it was important to focus on the people who “deserve to have their rights vindicated in a country which can afford it, and the need for a framework to voice it”.
“Although my experience is mostly outside the housing sector, the characteristics of a good leader are always the same,” she said. “What I’ve learned as a leader is the importance of keeping your focus on the bigger picture even when you are constantly reacting and are in a sector that somehow always feels like it’s in crisis.
“What is particularly relevant to me is coming to terms with the end of my time as a leader in my current role and how to make the transition, paving the way for those who are coming next. A good leader will never lose sight of the person at the centre of the work, especially when they are often on the outside of the conversation.”
With a lot of conversation on the importance of strong leadership, Eileen Patterson, board member of Clanmil Housing and Circle VHA said that being a good leader involved a number of important qualities including being calm, hopeful, positive and constant.
With a wealth of experience as a housing professional, Patterson is committed to the delivery of high quality, affordable housing and support services and said it was crucial to be able to set out a vision and strategy to achieve desired goals while empowering others to also lead and grow.
“I have had a long career in the housing sector in Northern Ireland where I have seen many changes,” she said. “What stands out to me when we talk about good leadership is the ability to lead through periods of growth. Growth and change can be exciting, but also risky and as leaders we need to be able to express this to staff around us and lead them through it confidently.
“As the demand for housing continues to grow, so too will the number of those working in the sector. As leaders, when building new teams and departments, we need to be cognisant of the needs of our staff, empowering them with training and professional development to become leaders in their own right.”
Also speaking at the event was Mushtaq Khan, of the Housing Diversity Network, who relayed the importance of training when it came to becoming a diverse leader. Lucy Cronin, vice president of EU public policy at Amazon delivered an impassioned speech on the barriers women could face in leadership roles, and how organisations could strive to address these, and Dr Sam Tsemberis, founder of Housing First, discussed how social movements required leadership at every stage and the importance of representing the people you served.
John Concannon, director general at the Department of Foreign Affairs, also observed the importance of authenticity in a leader’s message, and discussed his experience of working on the Wild Atlantic Way project, which involved collaboration with many different stakeholders.
Despite the many issues facing the sector at present, Grainia Long, chief executive, of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, said she was against the idea of it being in “permanent crisis”, and discussed why a positive mental attitude was important in order for real change to take place.
Indeed, according to Bob Jordan, the future is looking bright.
“In the midst of challenges, the innovation, progress and leadership within the sector is sometimes overlooked,” he said. “The work is complex and multifaceted, and the issues we currently face won’t be resolved with quick-fix solutions, but progress is happening. There are strong leaders across the entire sector who are working diligently and consistently to address housing needs.”
You can watch highlights from the conference in the video below.
Posted: Oct 06, 2023 / By:
CommunicationsCategories:
Are you looking for a career where every day is different? Where you can make an impact on the lives of others? The Housing Agency is looking for enthusiastic, hard working people to join our team.
What we offer:
Annual incremental salary progression
Generous annual leave allowance
Hybrid working options
Flexi Time
Work life balance
Convenient location to public transport, (Bus, Dart & Luas)
Continuous development and upskilling opportunities
Access to an Employee Assistance Programme for employees and families
At The Housing Agency we all have a shared purpose striving towards delivering sustainable communities for people living in Ireland. Our teams work on developing innovative solutions to various issues across the housing sector.
The Housing Agency are hiring across a number of different departments. If you’d like to join an inclusive, diverse team doing rewarding work, you can find more information about current vacancies on our careers page.
Posted: Oct 02, 2023 / By:
CommunicationsCategories:
Multi-unit developments (MUDs) are estates where an owners’ management company, or OMC for short, is responsible for maintaining shared facilities such as gardens, amenity spaces, halls, corridors, and parking. These managed estates are often apartment buildings or duplexes. They can also be townhouses or stand-alone houses that share common facilities. The quality and the sustainability of the built environment enjoyed by these communities rely on well-run OMCs.
With the increasing number of apartments across the country, The Housing Agency is holding evening information meetings for stakeholders, including residents, owners, and directors of OMCs.
The Housing Agency's Leadership In Housing Conference takes place on September 29th in the Hibernia Conference Centre, Dublin Castle from 8.30am - 2pm.
The Conference will bring together senior housing professionals working across the sector to network and engage with expert speakers. Attendees will hear from inspiring and motivating experts in leadership from Ireland and abroad.
You can view the conference programme and speaker biographies at this link: Conference Programme
On the 19th September 2023, The Housing Alliance launched their research report Providing environmental leadership in social housing to advance Climate Action goals. This research was funded by The Housing Agency under the 2021 research support programme.
In 2022, the Housing Alliance members identified the imperative to develop a clear vision for how best to deliver a climate resilient and decarbonised sector, aligned with national targets. Supported by the Housing Agency, the Housing Alliance commissioned this research in order to identify the relevant issues, challenges and opportunities associated with that objective, and ultimately to make recommendations on next steps. This report sets out concrete, actionable recommendations to enable the Housing Alliance members to work together to tackle the challenges of decarbonisation and to provide effective climate leadership for our sector.
The Housing Agency presents a lunchtime webinar intended to provide insights into practical energy cost saving measures for multi-unit developments, and owners’ management companies.
This event will be of interest to a wide audience- owners’ management companies, Approved Housing Bodies, property professionals, residents, local authority personnel, and other stakeholders in the multi-unit developments sector.
Speakers
Kate Joyce, Head of Sustainability and Strategic Projects, Túath Housing
Nick Sheward, Director of Property Services, Túath Housing
Alan Kavanagh, Managing Director Operations, IRES REIT Plc
Kate Joyce
Kate Joyceis Head of Sustainability and Strategic Projects with Túath Housing. Kate has over 18 years’ experience across the property, investment, and asset management sectors. She is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, TU Dublin, and DCU. Kate is an Associate Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), holds a professional qualification in project management, and recently completed a master’s degree in public policy.
Nick Sheward
Nick Sheward is Director of Property Services with Túath Housing. Nick has almost 35 years’ experience in construction and property, mainly in roles relating specifically to the provision and management of social and affordable housing. He plays a leading role in the delivery of property services to Túath’s housing stock. This includes building up investment profiles, managing planned and cyclical programmes, and the delivery of a responsive repairs service.
Alan Kavanagh
Alan Kavanagh is Managing Director Operations with IRES REIT Plc, a provider of almost 4,000 private rented homes in Dublin and Cork. Alan has held senior roles in the property and facilities management industry. Alan is a member of The Institute of Directors, and a graduate of TU Dublin.
The webinar will take place at 12.30pm on Wednesday, 4 October 2023.
Places are limited to 1,000 attendees on a first-come first-served basis.
By registering for this webinar you consent for the purposes of event management to the processing by The Housing Agency of your personal data (name and email address).
Disclaimer
Information provided during the webinar is general in nature. It should not be considered to amount to legal advice, and no reliance should be placed on it. The Housing Agency and webinar speakers cannot be held responsible for actions or failure to act on foot of the information provided. There may be other issues or circumstances that would influence the comments provided. Professional advice might be necessary on individual circumstances.
Innovative ‘Housing Unlocked’ competition wins national award
The Housing Agency and the Irish Architecture Foundation (IAF) have been announced as category winners in the annual Business to Arts Awards 2023 for their joint initiative, ‘Housing Unlocked’. The first phase of ‘Housing Unlocked’ was an open-call that called for architects, together with people from a variety of disciplines and members of the public with a common interest in housing, to team up and submit ideas that will maximise housing potential in our towns and cities. The open-call led to a public exhibition and talks programme, where audiences were encouraged to engage with the ideas on exhibit and to participate in lively debates and conversations on the future of housing in Ireland.
Housing Unlocked received the award in the ‘Best Creativity in the Community supported by Irish Life’ category. This category recognises initiatives and programmes that work with community groups to address specific issues, encourage community participation, bring new perspectives to creativity, and joy to those who engage with them.
Commenting on the announcement, Bob Jordan, CEO of The Housing Agency, said: “The Housing Agency welcomes the announcement of the Business to Arts awards. I’m delighted that our work with the Irish Architecture Foundation on ‘Housing Unlocked’ has been recognised in this way ‘Housing Unlocked’ looked for innovative and practical solutions that addressed the challenges we face when it comes to delivering homes. The initiative has been a huge success featuring an exhibition in the TCD Science Gallery from October 2022 to February 2023 which showcased inspiring solutions by architect-led teams from a range of backgrounds.
“The Business to Arts awards is testament to the importance of ongoing partnership between sectors to solve Ireland’s bigger issues and make a real social impact in our communities. I look forward to seeing how the ‘Housing Unlocked’ projects progress in the future and to the impact they make in the housing sector.”
Also speaking was Emmett Scanlon, Director of the Irish Architecture Foundation, who said: “The Irish Architecture Foundation are delighted that Housing Unlocked has been recognised by Business to Arts. The first exhibition of its kind in Ireland, Housing Unlocked demonstrates the powerful impact supporting the imagination of architects and others can have on innovative solutions to our housing needs and in creating vibrant, inclusive and sustainable villages, towns and cities. We in the IAF are committed to the subject of housing and to supporting architects and audiences to grow the desire for better ways of living together in Ireland. We were truly delighted to work with The Housing Agency on this project.”
The awards were announced at an event on Tuesday, 12th September at the National Concert Hall and featured a range of categories that recognize arts sponsorship, commissioning, philanthropy, staff engagement programmes, corporate social responsibility, access programmes, creative community initiatives, and more.
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