Peadar Tóibín
Question:753. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if houses in control of Approved Housing Bodies are entitled to receive the HAP payment. [16491/23]
View answerTuesday, 18 April 2023
Questions (753)
Written answers
Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) can access a range of funding streams to assist with the delivery of social housing, made available by my Department, through local authorities, for example the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) with a Payment and Availability Agreement (P&A) or the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS).
The terms and conditions, including nomination rights and rent setting, of these funding schemes are set out in my Department's Memorandum on Capital Funding Schemes for the Provision of Rental Accommodation by Approved Housing Bodies (Voluntary and Co - Operative Rental Housing): VHU: 2/02 of May 2002 and related circulars, and the relevant mortgage, loan agreements and Payment and Availability Agreements in force between the relevant local authority and AHB.
Payment and Availability Agreements (P&As) are funded under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP), which funds the ongoing current costs of homes delivered by Approved Housing Bodies through build and acquisition, in addition to homes delivered through the various leasing programmes.
The HAP scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. Section 47 of this legislation deals with payment of HAP to AHBs who have received state funding to acquire properties under the Capital Assistance Scheme and has not been commenced. Provision has been made for such households through the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).
HAP is not routinely provided to AHBs, however, HAP may be payable in certain circumstances to AHBs who can demonstrate that they are entitled to be landlords of a particular property. HAP would only be payable following submission of a valid application completed by the tenant and landlord. The AHBs would also be required to confirm that there has been no other State funding provided in respect of the particular property to ensure no double funding arises.