Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
700. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to anomalies in the criteria for qualifying for cost-rental schemes administered through the LDA (details supplied); the potential knock-on implications for those paid an hourly rate or who work in the gig economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27469/23]
View answerThe policy intent of developing a Cost Rental sector in Ireland is to support the housing needs of those on moderate incomes for whom high open market rents are unaffordable and who do not qualify for social housing supports. The Government’s Housing for All plan targets the delivery of 18,000 Cost Rental homes by 2030, primarily through delivery by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities, and the Land Development Agency (LDA). Funding has been allocated by my Department to AHBs through the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme, and to Local Authorities through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF).
All Cost Rental providers are legally obliged to make Cost Rental homes available in line with the provisions of Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 and associated Regulations. My Department has no direct role in advertising Cost Rental homes, assessing applications, or the allocation of tenancies, which are the responsibility of the Cost Rental landlord (in this case the LDA).
Eligibility and income parameters are a key tool in targeting State-supported homes at those who fall within the moderate income cohort and are considered most in need of affordable housing interventions. The primary eligibility condition for accessing Cost Rental housing is a maximum net annual household income (less income tax, PRSI, USC and superannuation contributions) of €53,000.
All Cost Rental properties must be leased to a tenant or tenants whose household falls within prescribed eligibility conditions, but since rents must cover costs on an ongoing basis, a landlord must be confident that a prospective tenant will reliably pay the monthly rent. It is a matter for the landlord in each instance to satisfy themselves as to the capacity of any prospective tenant to meet the rent required for the particular property in question.
