COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, January 13, 2020
HEADED ITEM NO. 11
Financial Assistance for Approved Housing Bodies in 2020 under the Capital Assistance Scheme in accordance with Section 6, Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992
REPLY:
The Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) is funded by the Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to provide accommodation through construction or acquisition to meet specific categories of housing need, particularly in situations where tenancy supports and low to medium care are required. In many cases, AHBs provide a housing model and a range of on-site supports not normally associated with more mainstream local authority social housing schemes. The eligible categories or persons covered under CAS are:
- Elderly persons;
- Homeless persons (including "care leavers" exiting State care on reaching the age of 18);
- People with a disability, with a particular emphasis on moving people with a disability from a congregated setting into community-based living.
Under Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992 it is a reserved function of the Council to approve such assistance and any associated terms and conditions under which that assistance is provided. If approved, funding is then provided by way of a grant to AHBs and is not repayable provided that the accommodation continues to be let to eligbile categories of persons and is properly maintained.
At the January 2019 Council Meeting, CAS funding of €7 million was approved by the Council with €6.1m utilised to date for the acquisition of 20 properties and the refurbishment of an emergency accommodation facility. It is projected that a similar number of properties will be acquired in 2020 by AHBs under CAS along with the construction of 10 one-bedroom homes by Dublin Simon Community at Old Nangor Road, Clondalkin at a cost of €3,265,533 for which both DHPLG approval and planning permission have been granted. Therefore, it is now estimated that approval for a total sum of €10 million will be required under CAS in 2020.
All properties acquired, constructed and funded through CAS will continue to be reported to each Area Committee as part of the quarterly housing delivery update.
Accordingly, the following Motion is proposed:
"That this Council hereby approves assistance by way of grants up to the total sum of €10 million to various Approved Housing Bodies under the Capital Assistance Scheme for the acquisition and/or construction of appropriate housing units in South Dublin County in accordance with the requirements of Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992".