Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2018
652. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the position regarding the vacant homes website established in 2017; if it has resulted in the turnaround of homes for new use to date; if targets have been set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3182/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraA dedicated website, www.vacanthomes.ie, was established by Mayo County Council in July 2017 on behalf of the local government sector to serve as a central portal for individuals to anonymously log possible vacant homes and to alert local authorities so that they can then follow up with the registered owners, with a view to ascertaining the potential for bringing these homes into productive use for residential purposes.
This source of locally generated information is proving useful in supplementing the country-wide analysis on vacancy and in mobilising communities to assist local authorities in developing and implementing a targeted approach. The website also provides useful information for property owners on how to bring their vacant properties back into use and on available financial supports.
To date, Mayo County Council has indicated that the website has received notifications of potential vacant homes across the country as follows:
- 1,515 properties have been registered on the website, mostly by individual citizens and local groups;
- 55% of the logged properties are located in Leinster, where housing demand is highest, with 28% logged in Munster, 14% in Connacht and 3% in Ulster;
- once unknown properties are disregarded, 84% of the logged properties have been vacant for more than 24 months;
- in terms of property types logged on the website, 35% are detached, 29% are semi detached, 27% are terraced, with flats and apartments accounting for 9%.
A number of local authorities have publicly acknowledged the usefulness of the website in helping to bring vacant properties back into use, for example: -
- Louth County Council has credited it with identifying over 30 homes in its functional area which have been deemed suitable for social housing, with a number of these homes already in the Council’s ownership or in the process of being taken into the council's ownership for social housing use;
- a number of other local authorities have indicated similar experiences arising from the website;
- a number of properties have been identified as suitable to avail of the repair and leasing scheme, with work ongoing towards bringing these properties into use for private rental purposes in 2018;
- owners of vacant homes who are living abroad have made direct contact with the website with a view to bringing their respective vacant properties back into use.
While specific targets for 2018 have not been set for the website, Mayo County Council hopes to:
- increase the number of logged properties on the site throughout the year;
- identify, with the assistance of local authorities, more owners of vacant homes in order to bring increasing numbers of vacant homes back into use;
- provide further assistance and support, in consultation with my Department's Vacant Homes Unit, on bringing further vacant residential units back into use; and
- work with other agencies and bodies in targeting high vacancy areas and reduce the number of vacant homes throughout the country.
