Novas Welcomes New Housing Package Announced By Government
Novas Initiatives’ warmly welcomes the government’s announcement regarding the social housing package today. There is much to be positive about, most notably the Minister’s commitment to clear social housing waiting lists by 2020, the construction of 35,000 homes and the specific financial package of more than €2.2 billion to do this. The outline of particular targets and timelines in 2017, 2018 and 2020 is most positive.
Minister Kelly also committed, in the short term, to targeted interventions around rent cap in particular areas where it is deemed too low. While this is a good thing, we would urge government to increase the rent cap across the board, in line with rising rents throughout the country. This would have an immediate and positive impact and would allow low-income families and individuals to compete on a level playing field within the private rented sector.
Novas believe that the housing crisis must be tackled by the provision of housing through government and voluntary housing associations, which this policy does allow for. Their fundamental involvement is integral to alleviating the crisis. The private rented market, by its very nature, is prone to fluctuation and is unpredictable, so is not ideal for families and individuals seeking permanent secure accommodation. The availability of funding to voluntary housing bodies to develop mixed usage housing schemes is a positive means of cementing their involvement in social housing provision.
However, more needs to be done for families in immediate need of housing – some of the social housing development needs to be ring-fenced for homeless families and rent caps need to be scrutinised. There are too many families in emergency accommodation up and down the country today. They cannot wait until 2017.
Novas recently launched eight two-bed apartments in the Tallaght area of Dublin, with all occupants, including four families taken from the South County Dublin social housing waiting list. Today’s announcement will allow us and other voluntary bodies in the sector to construct and manage more such developments.
