FAQ

• What is social housing?

Social Housing is broadly defined as accommodation provided by a local authority or approved non-profit housing body for persons who are unable to provide accommodation form their own resources.

This includes the provision of housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, persons with disabilities, homeless persons and young people leaving institutional care with no family accommodation.

• Who are the main providers of social housing?

The local authorities are the main providers of social rented housing, currently managing c.108,000 dwellings. The approved non-profit housing bodies (housing associations and housing co-operatives) currently manage in excess of 20,000 dwellings. Approximately 9.5% of households in Ireland are in the social rented tenure category.

• What are voluntary housing associations?

Housing associations, (also known as approved housing bodies) are non-profit organisations formed for the purpose of relieving housing need and the provision and management of housing. They are established by a voluntary management board to benefit the community in which they are based.

Projects undertaken may be in response to the needs of the elderly, people with disabilities, homeless persons or families and single people on low incomes. Some housing associations may be formed to specialise in meeting a particular housing need, others develop with broader aims.

The specific housing services offered will depend on the aims or concerns of the members, the needs of tenants as well as the financial and other resources available for both capital costs and ongoing management running costs.

Depending on the type of housing need to be met by the housing association, the accommodation provided may be in the form of ordinary rental houses or flats or specially designed supportive/sheltered housing with on site communal welfare facilities, group homes or hostels.

• How do voluntary housing associations differ from local authorities?

Local authorities are statutory bodies which were granted wide-ranging powers in the 1966 Housing Act to provide social housing. As well as providing and managing housing, they provide many other services within their designated areas, such as road maintenance, water and sewerage facilities, parks, refuse collection and provision of leisure facilities. Housing authorities which are sometimes referred to in legislation and other government publications can be understood to mean local authorities.

In contrast, voluntary housing associations are established by voluntary board members specifically to provide social housing. They may provide some other communal facilities or services in addition to the housing, such as day centres, dining rooms, recreational activities, etc. Such services are ancillary to the main purpose of the voluntary housing association, which is to provide and manage social housing.

• What is an approved housing body?

Provided they meet certain criteria, voluntary housing associations receive approved status from the Minister at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. This means the housing association is now an approved housing body and can apply for capital funding from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

• What is CAS?

The Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) was set up in 1984 and it is a capital funding stream that approved housing bodies can avail of when developing housing. It is generally used to provide special needs housing such as housing for the elderly, people with disabilities or homeless persons. Further information on how to apply for funding under CAS, funding limits and rents is available here.

• What is CLSS?

The Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) is a capital funding scheme that approved housing bodies can avail of when developing housing. It was introduced in 1991 and is usually used to provide general needs or family type housing. Further information on how to apply for funding under CLSS, funding limits and rents is available here.

• What are the current capital funding limits?

The following limits are effective from February 2006.

Please note that the local authority areas designated as eligible for urban area funding are: Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin, Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown, Cork City, Limerick City, Waterford City, Galway City, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.

Capital Assistance Scheme

Category I: 1 or 2 person self-contained or non-self-contained dwellings

Ordinary	€110,000
Islands	€140,000
Urban	€150,000

Category II: Family type self contained dwelling for 3 persons or more

Ordinary	€135,000
Islands	€150,000
Urban	€170,000

Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme

Ordinary	€135,000
Islands	€150,000
Urban	€170,000

• What funding is available for site costs and what qualifies as a site cost ?

Site funding is additional to CAS or CLSS funding and can be used to pay for site acquisition, demolition, clearance costs, archaeological surveys, water, sewage, special foundations, conveyancing costs and boundaries. The current site funding limits are as follows:

· Ordinary & Islands: €40,000

· Urban Area: €50,000

Please note that the local authority areas designated as eligible for urban area funding are: Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin, Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown, Cork City, Limerick City, Waterford City, Galway City, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.

The size of the units does not affect the level of site funding. When a housing association is preparing cost plans, site works should be listed separately so as to be able to access site funding.

• What funding is available to housing associations to furnish units?

There are currently no grants or funding streams available to housing associations to cover the costs of furnishing housing units. Tenants who meet certain criteria can apply for assistance in furnishing their homes from their local Community Welfare Officer.

• What are the average rents set by voluntary housing associations?

Tenants on low incomes who are housed in units funded by the Capital Assistance Scheme can be eligible for the Rental Accommodation Scheme. Further information on recommended rents is available here.

Differential rents are charged on units funded under the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme and therefore can vary depending on the income of the tenant.

• How are voluntary housing associations organised and controlled?

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government set certain requirements in relation to the management of approved housing bodies and in their boards of management.

Establishing a housing association and building housing developments involves a great deal of time and effort, therefore we recommend at least 7 directors to help ensure that there is a mix of skills and experience amongst board members and that too much responsibility for a project does not fall on any one person.

In order for a board to effectively make decisions and collectively take responsibility, the ICSH recommends that a board has no more than 12 members.

Further information on the ways in which voluntary housing associations should manage themselves is available here.

• How does someone become a tenant of a voluntary housing association?

People who wish to become tenants of voluntary housing associations must be assessed as having a housing need. This is done by means of applying to the relevant local authority for housing. Once a person is accepted on the housing list, they have been assessed as having a housing need.

For voluntary housing that is funded through CLSS (general needs family housing), 100% of tenants must come from the local authority housing list. For voluntary housing that is funded through CAS (housing for the elderly, people with disabilities or homeless persons) there are two different approaches.

For voluntary housing associations that receive 100% capital funding through CAS, all of their tenants must come from the local authority housing list. Some voluntary housing associations receive 95% capital funding through CAS. In these instances, a minimum of 75% of tenants must come from the local authority housing list. The remaining 25% of allocations is at the discretion of the housing association.

If you are interested in becoming a tenant of a voluntary housing association, you should first apply to your local authority for housing and have your housing need assessed.

• Are voluntary housing association tenancies secure?

Tenants of voluntary housing associations have the same security of tenure as local authority tenants, provided that they adhere to the terms of the tenancy around issues such as payment of rent, anti social behaviour, etc.