Interested developers and builders have less than a month to submit proposals for Kerry County Council’s first affordable housing pilot schemes in Tralee and Killarney.
The proposals must be for developments comprising of five to 20 affordable housing units.
The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme helps people on moderate incomes buy new homes at reduced prices, with the local authority taking a percentage stake in the home.
Affordable housing schemes are for people who earn too much to qualify for social housing, but not enough to compete in the open private housing market.
At the recent Kerry County Council meeting, members were told that the submissions will be assessed, and successful proposals will be referred to the Department of Housing for approval, to access the Affordable Housing Fund.
The successful schemes will then be advertised to individual applicants.
Director of housing at Kerry County Council, Niamh O’Sullivan, told councillors that interested developers and builders do not have to wait for the closing date to engage with the housing department.
Once an agreement has been reached with the developer, applicants will be invited to apply for the scheme.
The exact discount against the market price will not be known until Department of Housing has completed its assessment, but can be up to €75,000 per home.
The council will get equity in the home equal to the value of the market discount.
The initial pilot schemes will inform future calls to developers.
Meanwhile, Kerry County Council is planning to deliver affordable houses on council owned lands in the short to medium terms.
Ms O’Sullivan told members that affordable home applicants who meet the eligibility criteria, may be accommodated on a first come, first served basis.
The closing date for expressions of interest (EoI) from developers and builders is Friday, 13th February at 4.00pm.
IMAGE: House keys}
