SCSI Submission to the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage
SCSI has submitted recommendations to inform the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage’s Affordable Housing Strategy. Our submission outlines the decline in homeownership in Ireland and the steps recommended to ensure affordable housing options for all. It also emphasises the importance of increasing the supply of rental properties to stabilise prices and the key role of the private sector in generating capital.
Key submisssion recommendations include:
- Reducing soft costs and providing support for viability to produce new affordable units, particularly apartments;
- Introducing incentive schemes that allow private citizens to invest in the rental market throgh a state-backed investment vehicle;
- Addressing complex rental regulations and improving the RTB adjudication process;
- Evaluating affordability support gaps to determine if additional inititatives or adjustments are required;
- Addressing challenges in the delivery of new housing including the underspending of the capital budget, improving efficiency through innovation, addressing the cyclical nature of construction, and streamlining public procurement procedures.
- Establishing a land register to provide transparency and better land management in the property market.