Ireland's housing minister Darragh O'Brien has published a Vacant Homes Action Plan to return as many recoverable vacant properties back to viable use as possible to revitalise the vibrancy of local communities.
In support of the plan, the government has launched a €150 million Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) for local authorities to tackle vacancy and dereliction of residential or commercial properties.
The money can be used for works that may be required to de-risk or improve the site so that it is more attractive for reuse or sale. The government said the fund will be replenished from the proceeds received from sale or use of a site, meaning a local authority will be able to establish a rolling programme to tackle long-term vacancy and dereliction without the associated financial risk.
Other measures in the plan include:
O'Brien said: "The most efficient home to deliver is one that already exists. I want vacant properties in cities, towns and villages across the country to become homes – giving people the opportunity to live and participate in their local communities. The Vacant Homes Action Plan outlines the real progress the government is making in addressing vacancy and details the upcoming measures that will bring even more vacant properties back into use. The new €150 million URDF call for proposals will help local authorities transform vacant and derelict buildings and sites in order to revitalise and regenerate our cities and large towns, and deliver more housing".
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has also begun a six-week multi-channel advertising campaign that seeks to highlight the support available to people to buy, lease or sell vacant property, or covert vacant commercial property into homes.
