COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, March 08, 2021
HEADED ITEM NO. 11
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR APPROVED HOUSING BODIES IN 2021 UNDER THE CAPITAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 6, HOUSING MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT, 1992 - FOR APPROVAL
REPLY:
The Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage 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 is 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 eligible categories of persons and is properly maintained.
At the January 2020 Council Meeting, CAS funding of €10 million was approved by the Council and that funding is now committed for funding of a specific construction project and the acquisition of various properties to meet the housing needs of applicants within the specific categories covered under CAS.
With a range of additional potential CAS applications identified by AHBs in the County, to ensure preparedness for further such applications in accordance with the provision made in the Council's Three Year Capital Programme 2021-2023, and for the Council to be responsive to such CAS applications to meet the housing needs of such priority categories of applicants, an additional approval in the sum of €10 million is now proposed.
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.”