-AHB Public Housing Stock at 61,500 in 2023-
Wednesday 24th April 2024
Today, the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) launches its Housing Association Activity Report 2023. Ireland’s housing association sector (also known as approved housing bodies) provided 5,924 new social and cost rental homes in 2023, 47% of total social housing and 30% of total cost rental delivery.
Mr Donal McManus, ICSH Chief Executive stated: “2023 saw the AHB sector begin to emerge from the shadow of rising price inflation and, despite the uncertainty of changing market conditions, our sector has succeeded in delivering almost 6,000 homes and increasing our public housing stock to 61,500 social rented homes in ownership and management in 2023. AHB social housing delivery for 2023 increased by more than 20% year-on-year, and working in tandem with our local authority partners, almost 12,000 social homes were completed collectively in 2023, more than 35% of all housing completions in 2023. The AHB sector is experiencing significant growth over recent years, and with multi-annual capital funding supports under Housing for All (and its successors), we see the potential to double our stock of permanent and affordable AHB rental homes by 2030.
AHBs delivered 286 cost rental homes which, alongside 561 homes from the Land Development Agency, local authority delivery and the cost rental tenant-in-situ scheme, brings the cost rental total to 966 homes. The government’s annual target of 2,000 cost rental homes remains challenging; however, the AHB sector is committed to this important new tenure and working with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on improvements to cost rental policy and viability issues. Of increasing concern for AHBs is to ensure that the delivery of supported housing keeps pace with general needs housing. As a percentage of AHB delivery, the number of homes provided to older and disabled persons has declined in recent years (634 homes were provided under the CAS funding stream in 2023, 10% fewer than in 2022). Whereas 25% of households on the social housing waiting list are aged 50 and older, and almost 7% of households on the social housing waiting list have an accommodation requirement due to disability. Providing secure homes for disabled people, people exiting homelessness, Travellers, older people, and other vulnerable groups is a strategic priority for our sector, along with the active engagement of the HSE in the delivery of health and social supports.
“2023 social housing delivery marks a 50-year high, and increasing convergence of private and public housing delivery. This is a very positive indicator of lessons learned, and a renewed commitment to growing and safeguarding the stock of affordable social rental homes for households in Ireland through the 21st century and beyond. Housing policy and practice has evolved and matured in response to recent challenges. Against this backdrop, our sector looks forward to the publication shortly of the Housing Commission report, tasked with an holistic appraisal of the state’s housing needs and the development of sustainable communities”, Mr McManus added.
AHB Activity in 2023
- 5,638 social homes delivered through the build, acquisition and leasing programmes.
- AHBs responsible for 47% of total social housing delivery.
- 5,154 social homes delivered under build and acquisition and 484 leased.
- Almost 88% of AHB delivery in 2023 was new build housing.
- AHB provided 286 cost rental homes in 2023, 30% of total cost rental delivery.
- 1,101 AHB upgrades/retrofits have been completed since July 2022.
- Of the 42,545 AHB tenancies registered with the RTB in 2023, 35% had a BER rating between A1 and C3.
- 463 homes for formerly homeless households were provided by AHBs in 2023 under the CAS delivery stream.
- 979 individuals are currently in a Housing First tenancy.
ENDS
Editor’s Notes:
- The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH) is the national federation for non-profit housing associations representing more than 270 member organisations that manage more than 60,000 homes for families, older people, disabled people and households experiencing homelessness. ICSH members operate in every local authority area in the country and in hundreds of communities across Ireland.
- The Housing Association Activity Report 2023 is available to download at www.icsh.ie on Wednesday 24th April 2024.
- Overall Social Housing Output in 2023 (provided by both local authorities and housing associations/AHBs): 11,939, of which AHBs delivered 5,638 (47%). 966 cost rental homes were provided in 2023, of which AHBs delivered 286 (30%).
| CAS | CALF | Leasing* | Part V (Incl. Lease) | Total AHB output | Total Output AHB+LA | % AHB delivery | |
| Build | 205 | 3508 | 945 | 4,658 | 8,110 | 57% | |
| Acquisition | 429 | 67 | 496 | 1,830 | 27% | ||
| Leasing | 414 | 70 | 484 | 1,999 | 24% | ||
| Totals | 634 | 3,575 | 414 | 1,015 | 5,638 | 11,939 | 47% |