Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock.
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. A grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent.
Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €50,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed by the applicant to be derelict or where the property is already on the local authority’s Derelict Sites Register, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000. The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including 2007, in towns, villages, cities and rural areas.
The grant is paid when works are completed, following a final inspection by the local authority. Payment of the grant at the end of the process is to ensure that the applicant has carried out the works applied for, and approved, and to safeguard that the grant is related to the works which have been completed.
Since the launch of the Grant some 6,850 applications have been received, 3,890 approval decisions made and grants are now being paid out as works are completed.
When the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund was launched, a commitment was given that a comprehensive review and evaluation of the schemes under it, including the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, would be undertaken by mid 2024. That review is currently underway.
On 14 November 2023, Government agreed to the proposal to expand the Local Authority Home Loan to enable the purchase and/or renovation of non-habitable properties. Applicants who are eligible for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant may be able to avail of financing under the Local Authority Home Loan to renovate their property and bring it back into Residential use.
My Department, working closely with local authorities and other stakeholders, is currently finalising the extension of the Local Authority Home Loan which is due to be implemented by Quarter 2 of this year.
These measures are evidence of the Government’s continued focus on bringing vacant and derelict homes back into use, which is a major objective of Housing for All.
