Housing

Housing – Social & Affordable

The aim of the Housing Department is to enable every household to have available an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment, and as far as possible at a tenure of its choice.

The Housing Section provides Social and Affordable Housing for the people of New Ross under the Action Plan for Social & Affordable Housing 2005 – 2008 in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government.

Social Housing

Anyone wishing to apply for social housing must complete an application form, available at Reception in The Tholsel or on the Application Forms section of this website.

Applications are assessed under a Scheme of Letting Priorities and rent is calculated under the Differential Rent Scheme, both adopted by the Council. The Tenant Liaison Officer deals with Anti-Social Behaviour and acts as a link between tenants, residents associations and the Council. 82 social housing units were constructed under the 2000 – 2003 multi annual programme. 37 social housing units in The Friary (8 turnkey) and Morrissysland (29 + 1 community building) were completed in 2005/2006. 50 units are under construction at St Stephen's (2006/2007) with a further 30 to commence in 2007/2008."

Affordable Housing

Anyone wishing to apply for affordable housing must complete an application form, available at Reception in The Tholsel or on the Application Forms section of this website.

The Affordable Housing Scheme provides for the building of new houses in areas where house prices have created an affordability gap for lower income purchasers. The houses will be offered for sale to eligible first time purchasers at cost price, and, accordingly, at a significant discount from the market value of comparable houses in the area.

Do I qualify?
All applicants must be:

in need of housing and your income satisfies the income test below

(Approved applicants for local authority housing and tenants and tenant purchasers of local authority dwellings and tenants for more than one year of Rental Subsidy Scheme housing surrendering their dwellings are exempt from the above income test.) or

a person whose application for local authority housing has been approved by the local authority, or

a local authority tenant or tenant purchaser who wishes to buy a private house and to return your present house to the local authority, or

a tenant for more than one year of a house provided by a voluntary body under the Rental Subsidy Scheme who wishes to buy a private house and return your present house to the voluntary body.

Local authorities will generally advertise the availability of houses for purchase in the local press. Where the number of eligible households seeking to purchase houses under the terms of the scheme exceeds the number of houses available for sale by the local authority at the particular time, the order of priority of purchasers would be determined by the local authorities, taking account of household circumstances, housing need etc.

What about Mortgage Subsidy?

A subsidy will be available to reduce the mortgage payments of purchasers with a household income (gross) of up to €25,500 in the preceding year. The subsidy will be paid to the local authority and will reduce the monthly payments due on the mortgage. It will be set at the following amounts:

If you already live in a local authority house or are a tenant of a house provided under the Voluntary Housing Rental Subsidy Scheme and will be surrendering your house, a tapered 5 year allowance of up to €11,450, may apply to you, subject to you taking on a minimum mortgage of €38,000.

Can I re-sell my "affordable house"?

If a house purchased under this scheme is resold within 10 years, the percentage of the sale price discounted by the local authority would be payable to the local authority by the purchaser on the proceeds of the re-sale of the house. The amount payable shall be reduced by 10% in respect of each complete year after the 10th year during which the person who purchased the property has been in occupation as his or her normal place of residence.

For Example

Application forms for social and affordable housing are available at Reception in The Tholsel or on the Application Forms page of this website.

For further information and to discuss your housing options, please contact:
Mick McCormack, Senior Staff Officer and John Moran, Tenant Liaison Officer
Telephone (051) 421284 Fax (051) 421605