The Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement clearly outlines that the priority for Government will be to meet the most acute needs of households applying for social housing support.
I am determined to ensure that the social housing programme optimises the delivery of social housing and the return for the resources invested. To achieve this, it is essential that we tailor the use of available Exchequer supports to prevailing conditions and explore the full range of solutions to address housing needs.
The financial parameters within which we continue to operate will not facilitate a return to large capital funded construction programmes. The Government is committed to responding more quickly and on a larger scale to social housing support needs through a variety of mechanisms, including through increased provision of social housing.
I have already, this year, indicated a return to modest levels of new social housing construction. Over the next few months, I intend to announce some 1,000 new house starts across the voluntary, local authority and regeneration housing work programmes for 2014/2015. Last week, my Department requested local authorities to submit proposals by 28 March for new construction and acquisition projects under the Capital Assistance Scheme over the next two years. I intend to announce details of the new social housing construction programme for local authorities shortly. I also intend to announce details of a special investment of €15 million for the retrofitting of boarded-up local authority houses to make these available to households in need of social housing.
Delivery of social housing continues to be significantly facilitated through more flexible funding models such as the Rental Accommodation Scheme and leasing but the Government is also committed to developing other funding mechanisms that will increase the supply of permanent new social housing. Such mechanisms include options to purchase, build to lease and the sourcing of loan finance by approved housing bodies for construction and acquisition.
The Social Housing Leasing Initiative offers an effective and efficient response to housing need, taking account not just of the availability of resources but also market conditions and the need for a broader range of more flexible delivery mechanisms. To the end of December 2013, 4,600 social housing units have been delivered under the leasing initiative. It is expected that this initiative will continue to provide substantial numbers of social housing units in the years ahead.
In addition, my Department, the Housing Agency and NAMA continue to work together with housing authorities and approved housing bodies towards bringing suitable NAMA units into social use and to ensure continued delivery of housing units for social purposes. Approved Housing Bodies will also play a key role in the delivery of social housing and, in particular, having regard to their capacity to attract external financial investment. It continues to be my objective to maximise the delivery of social housing using all of the resources available.
By the end of December 2013, some 2,055 units have been confirmed by local authorities as being suitable for social housing with the overall total delivery of social housing from NAMA sourced units standing at 596 (completed or contracted) since the process began. Further information in relation to the delivery of NAMA sourced units, including a full breakdown by county of units delivered by quarter, is available at the Housing Agency’s website: www.housing.ie/NAMA.
In spite of the financial constraints within which we are required to operate, I expect the final output across all social housing programmes for 2014 to be in the region of 5,000 new housing units.
