Housing plan: 25,000 homes to be provided per year by 2021

The Government has promised over 130,000 new homes will be provided over the six years to 2021 under its plan to tackle the housing crisis.

The Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, launched on Tuesday afternoon, also commits to supplying an additional 47,000 social housing units by the conclusion of the plan.

Minister for Housing Simon Coveney has said that the 25,000 homes will be provided per year, through public and private development, by the end of the plan.

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe also confirmed that he will provide an extra €2.2 billion over what has already been promised for social housing.

The total amount allocated to social housing is €5.35 billion by 2021.

The plan, called “Rebuilding Ireland”, contains five pillars. These are addressing homelessness; accelerating social housing; building more private homes; improving the rental sector and utilising existing housing stock, such as vacant homes.

Social house building on this scale has not been undertaken in decades, with a previous reliance by councils on developers providing a portion of homes for social and affordable homes.

Homelessness

On the issue of tackling homelessness, the plan says that by the middle of next year, hotels will only be used as emergency accommodation in limited circumstances and support for homeless families with children will be increased.

It also says that the construction of rapid build homes will be expanded to 1,500 homes by 2018 and a new mortgage arrears resolution service will be introduced, among other measures.

The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) and the Private Housing Fund has the “potential to fund delivery of some 5,000 social houses”, according to the plan.

A new housing delivery office and housing procurement unit will be established and the targets for people using housing adaption grants have been increased to 8,000 this year and 10,000 next year.

Private sector

In the private sector, State lands are to be opened up to developers and reforms of the planning process, such as large scale developments by-passing councils and going straight to An Bord Pleanála, are aimed at speeding up the supply of homes.

The plan also includes the already announced €200 million fund to develop infrastructure, such as access roads and bridges, that will speed up building where planning permission has already been granted.

Rental sector

In the rental sector, a new “strategy for a viable and sustainable rental sector” is to be developed. There are also proposals to protect tenants in developments that are sold on, with tenants remaining in-situ in developments of 20 units or more.

The powers of the Residential Tenancies Board will be increased and an affordable rental scheme, costing €10 million per year and supporting 2,000 properties, will be introduced by 2018.

Moves to encourage the building of developments strictly for long term rental accommodation will also be encouraged and the building of student accommodation will be increased.

Social houses will be rapidly re-let to new tenants to avoid vacant homes and a €70 million fund to allow the Housing Agency purchase vacant homes held by banks will be established.

Other measures to reduce vacant houses include removing regulations to re-use vacant or under utilised properties, such as changing commercial buildings for residential use, and renewal schemes for cities, towns, villages and rural areas.

The plan also promises to “continue work to resolve unfinished estates”.

The Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness can be accessed here.