MORE affordable housing, increasing the supply of social and private homes and addressing social inclusion issues are the main priorities for the government’s Housing Agency over the next three years in Limerick.
Speaking at the launch of the Agency’s new Statement of Strategy, Housing Agency chief executive Bob Jordan said he was looking forward to supporting key stakeholders, including Limerick City and County Council, to deliver on those priorities.
“We will work with them to deliver homes in sustainable communities that meet the range of needs that exist across Limerick city and county,” Mr Jordan added.
The Housing Agency told the Limerick Post this week that it currently has six plots of land in County Limerick.
“We’re working closely with Limerick City and County Council on a number of these lands and with an Approved Housing Body on one of them,” a spokesman explained.
“Limerick City and County Council is currently building 12 homes for social housing on our lands in Knocklong and proposals are being progressed on sites in Bruff and Mountcollins. We are working with Cluid housing and the Council to develop housing in Cappamore. Our other lands are available for use by the Council as required.”
Referring to the cost rental option developed by the Housing Agency, Mr Jordan said this involved high-quality, long-term rental homes being made available to people on middle incomes at rents below market rates.
“Having already helped deliver the country’s first 65 Cost Rental homes, in the coming years we will work to deliver Cost Rental homes at scale,” he added.
“We are also working to increase the supply of affordable homes for people to buy. We will do this by supporting the Affordable Dwelling Purchase Scheme, which is about delivering affordable homes to purchase in specific targeted areas with affordability problems, and by supporting the reformed Local Authority Home Loan Scheme.
“We will also support the nationwide rollout of the First Home affordable purchase shared equity scheme, delivering homes developed by the private sector and made more affordable for people to buy with the assistance of an equity share.”
