Offaly seeing big, positive response to government’s new vacant property grant

Offaly is seeing a big, positive response from members of the public to the government’s new vacant property grant. 
Director of Services Ann Dillon told Monday evening’s monthly meeting of Birr Municipal District that the County Council has received about a hundred enquiries in recent weeks about the grant. 
Housing Officer John Cunningham told the meeting that the phones have been “hopping” with expressions of interest from members of the public about the scheme. 
The councillors said this was great news and could represent a positive change in a housing crisis which seems never ending and, according to many, is getting worse. 
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant provides funding so people can refurbish their vacant and derelict homes. It can also be used to renovate properties that have not been used as residential properties before. 
People can get the grant if they are refurbishing the vacant property so they can live there, or so they can rent the property out. The grant was originally for people who were refurbishing vacant properties to live in them, but on May the 1st last it was extended to people who want to refurbish vacant properties to rent them out, and the values of the grants were increased. These changes seem to have been a game changer in Offaly. 
People can get a grant of up to €50,000 to renovate a vacant property and up to €70,000, if the property is derelict. 
The grant is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund and people apply for it to the local authority. 
Cllr John Leahy told the meeting that the May 1st improvement to the Croí Cónaithe scheme looks like a gamechanger. “The government is now directing a huge budget towards Croí Cónaithe and I am definitely seeing a huge increase in people’s interest in it. The fact you can now rent the property out seems to be a massive thing for people. In fairness to the Minister for Housing he has obviously listened to what many were saying should be done to improve the scheme.” 
Cllr Leahy also said that it looks like we are going to see a lot more modular homes being constructed around Ireland. He said one of the advantages of modular homes is they can be constructed a lot quicker than regular homes. 
“One big gap I am seeing,” he said, “is the lack of affordable and social housing being built on publicly owned land. There is too little of that happening.” 
John Cunningham pointed out that the First Home Scheme is also very good. “I think it should be more popular. It can reduce the cost of a new home by as much as €100,000.” 
Ann Dillon said the paperwork attached to the Croí Cónaithe scheme is not arduous. “It’s easy enough to apply for,” she remarked. “If someone applied for the scheme prior to May 1st then they will receive the same benefits as those applying after May 1st.”