MAYOR John Moran plans to provide modular housing to meet growing demand on Shannonside have taken a step forward.
Limerick City and County Council announced that it is seeking to establish a multi-disciplinary team to prepare a preliminary business case for the SMART housing project – “the Short-term Modular Affordable Rental Transition”.
The initiative would see a number of modular homes developed on key sites across Limerick as “meanwhile homes”, which would be used in the intermediate term while long-term homes are being developed.
The SMART housing project, which was included in Mayor Moran’s mayoral programme, aims to provide more affordable and sustainable housing solutions targeted especially at key workers.
The programme will see short-term modular homes used as affordable rental properties to bridge the gap until permanent long-term housing solutions become available, the Council said.
The Council said the programme also hopes to work with local businesses and educational institutions who are willing to invest in land for their employees or students.
Mayor Moran said that the plan is an immediate step in addressing the housing shortage in Limerick.
“The SMART Housing Programme is a vital step towards addressing the urgent housing needs in Limerick. We need to find ways to deliver much more supply, and to deliver it much faster than is being done now. I want to channel the power of the state where the markets alone are failing. This initiative focuses on much more flexible and cheaper rental supply, which will take pressure off rent costs and the need to buy,” he said.
Mayor Moran added that he is “hoping that others out there who share my desire to disrupt the standard way of thinking, to find new solutions to our failing markets, will come forward and answer our call for help”.
“Together we can show that there are alternatives that work.”
A preliminary business case for the SMART housing programme will evaluate whether modular homes are a cost effective way of providing short-term affordable rental homes.
