More than €2.6M has been allocated to bring vacant Local Authority housing back into use in Donegal.
Fine Gael Minister of State Joe McHugh TD has welcomed the allocation of €2,611,256 which will bring much needed accommodation back into the pubic arena.
He said “There are two particular programmes which provide support for Local Authorities to refurbish vacant social housing stock requiring more significant works than the normal level of pre-letting repairs. The Voids programme, which commenced in 2014, provides funding support of up to €30,000 per unit. The Derelicts programme was introduced in 2016 to provide additional support to Local Authorities in remediating more seriously derelict social houses.
“Over €2.6M has been allocated to Donegal County Council for the Voids and Derelicts programmes and 163 housing units were submitted for funding, with 153 units having been approved for funding so far under this allocation.”
Returning vacant Local Authority housing to use is a key plank of Minister Simon Coveney’s radical new housing plan ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ and it is crucially important in helping to tackle our homelessness problem.
“In addition, the Housing Agency is also being provided with €70 million of capital funding to engage with banks and investment companies to acquire properties for social housing nationally, which will deliver 1,600 units over the period to 2020. Other measures include a new Repair and Leasing Initiative to allow Local Authorities to provide financial assistance to property owners to bring vacant properties up to standard which can then be leased for social housing.
“Capital provision of €6 million in 2017 will deliver 150 units under this new initiative. A new Buy and Renew initiative will also support Local Authorities and approved housing bodies to purchase private housing units in need of remediation, renew them and make them available for social housing use. An initial capital provision of €25 million will be available for this initiative in 2017.
“As a Minister for Donegal, I am working hard to ensure that this Government’s innovative housing plan delivers for County Donegal and meets the housing needs of our people.”
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