Voluntary Housing Schemes

Voluntary housing bodies play an important role in providing rental housing throughout the country for people who could not otherwise afford to provide suitable accommodation from their own resources. The voluntary housing bodies decided on the types of housing projects/services they will provide, having regard to local needs, and are responsible for tenancy allocations in consultation with the local authorities. They are not for profit organisations concerned with the relief of housing needs and usually take the legal form of housing associations.

Voluntary housing is supported by local authorities and the Department of the Environment and Local Government under two separate schemes, as follows

Capital Assistance Scheme

The Capital Assistance Scheme provides accommodation, generally one or two bedroomed units, to meet special housing needs such as those of the elderly, disabled, homeless or smaller families

Rental Subsidy Scheme

The Rental Subsidy Scheme provides housing for renting, particularly to meet the needs for low income families

Is there any assistance available to me to buy a house before I decide to move from a house provided by a voluntary housing body?

Yes. Tenants for more than one year of houses provided under the Rental Subsidy Scheme who return their houses to the voluntary housing body qualify for the same range of benefits available to local authority tenants returning their houses

These include:

The Mortgage Allowance Scheme

• exemption from income limits for the shared ownership,

• exemption from income limits for the affordable housing scheme,

• exemption from income limits for local authority house purchase loans,

• the improvement works in lieu of Local Authority Housing Scheme in respect of the house to which the tenant moves,

• low cost housing sites from the local authority

Contact:

Westport Town Council, Housing Section at 098 50400