The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply and put affordability at the heart of the housing system, with an ambitious target of 300,000 homes over the next decade for social, affordable and cost rental, private rental and private ownership housing.
Measures to deliver this housing are supported by over €4 billion in funding annually, representing the highest ever level of Government investment in building social and affordable housing. 54,000 affordable homes interventions will be delivered between now and 2030 to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.
The delivery of affordable housing, in accordance with the schemes set out in the Affordable Housing Act, 2021 and the funding being made available, will be underpinned by local authorities' housing Delivery Action Plans. Local authorities submitted their Plans to me, to include social and affordable housing, in December 2021. In drawing up their plans, each local authority assessed the level of demand with affordability constraint in their area based on the Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) and will plan provision accordingly.
Dublin City Council (DCC) originally submitted a Serviced Sites Fund application to my Department in respect of O’Devaney Gardens in May 2019 and received approval in principle in August 2019 for €10.23 million to assist in the delivery of 117 affordable purchase units.
Following the establishment of the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) in June 2021, Dublin City Council re-submitted this application under AHF in September 2021 seeking €24.8 million to assist in the delivery of 248 affordable purchase homes or €100,000 per affordable unit which is the maximum level of subvention permissible under AHF.
The application has been assessed by the Housing Agency and a team in my Department. Department officials are in regular contact with Dublin City Council in respect of a number of clarifications sought and share a commitment to securing affordable housing units on this project. I expect my Department's formal approval for the funding to be finalised shortly.
