by Alan Jacques
MAYOR of Limerick, Cllr Francis Foley this week received the first information booklet about the benefits of home-sharing and the data supporting it as a key component of increasing the supply of accommodation locally.
A total of 5,000 booklets will now be distributed to Northside homes this month.
With over 6,000 empty bedrooms in the area, increasing the number of households that home-share is proposed as a way to generate €6,000 to €12,000 in annual additional income for homeowners and add supply to the property market for renters.
Commenting on the launch, Mayor Foley said, “It’s a wonderful initiative and a great news story for Limerick City. We support all initiatives to bring new accommodation supply on stream.”
According to Home Hosts CEO Colm Moore, new employment opportunities in Limerick have increased demand for home-stays from both working professionals and students.
“The booklet has insights from 60 homeowners and aims to share the basics of the arrangement with a wider audience. It’s common to have over 200 applicants for a room right now. We make life easier for the homeowner by handling all enquiries and only connecting them with applicants who are a fit with their specific requirements,” Mr Moore added.
