Frank Donohoe

Housing Policy and Finance SectionDepartment of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Presentation Outline

• Ireland’s social housing system

• Governance issues - 2 programmes

- local authority programme

- not for profit (voluntary) programme

Housing in Ireland

2006 Census

79%

11%10%

Ow ner occupied Local authority/voluntary body

Private rented

Local authority programme

Some features –

• 88 local authorities• Total stock of c.120,000 units• Mostly general needs (family type

units)• Projects funded(100%) by central

government

Local authority programme

Role of central government

• Developing housing policy and legislation

• Securing funding for social housing • Allocating funding to social housing

providers

• Setting design/cost standards

Local authority programme

Role of local authority

• Assessing housing need• Supply of social housing projects• Allocation of houses• Rent setting and collection

• Management and maintenance

Local authority programme

New governance structures needed

Why?• Currently central government advises/guides

local authoritiesOutcome• Fragmentation – in needs assessment, allocation, - rents etc,

Local authority programme

•New housing legislation will provide

for – a new means of assessing

need, allocation and rent policies

•New powers for central government to direct local authorities

Not for profit sector

• c. 330 active bodies• Stock of c. 22,000 units• Provides for general needs and

special needs – elderly, homeless, disabled

• Projects supported(100%) by central government via local authorities

• No right to purchase for tenants

Governance of not for profit sector

Role of Central Government - grant/withdraws approved status to

bodies to operate - secures and allocates capital funding

(loans) for projects - sets design/cost standards

Governance of not for profit sector

Role of Local Government - oversees delivery of new projects

design standards, funding

- allocations to tenants from local authority waiting list (in consultation with the sector)

- rent levels - financial accounts for projects

Governance of not for profit sector

Role of not for profit sector

- Supply of new housing units- Allocation of accommodation to

tenants- Set and collect rents- Management and maintenance- Financial accountability

Governance of not for profit sector

New structures – review of the sector’s role

- merge funding schemes - general needs or special needs - options for private finance- one regulator

Rent Supplement

• Introduced as short term income support measure

• By default it became a parallel medium to long-term social housing support

It assists - • Unemployed people living in the

private rent sector• 76,000 households currently• Expenditure c. €460m in 2009