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Frank Donohoe Housing Policy and Finance Section Department 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.
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Frank DonohoeHousing 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
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 authorities Outcome • 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