Voluntary Housing Organisations are known as Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). These organisations have been approved by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992 for the purpose of accessing support from local authorities for housing provision.
AHBs are independent, not for profit organisations that provide affordable rented housing for people who cannot afford to pay private sector rents or buy their own homes. AHBs are governed by the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA). AHBRA is an independent authority, established in February 2021. AHBRA is tasked with providing the regulation of AHBs for the purposes of protecting housing assets provided or managed by such bodies.
AHBs work closely with Tipperary County Council to identify the types of housing projects/services to be provided having regard to local need. The council actively supports the voluntary sector in Tipperary. There are to date approximately 1,000 voluntary housing units owned and managed by AHBs in County Tipperary.
Accommodation is provided under the following schemes:
Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF)
Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS)
Leasing
Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF)
The Capital Advance Leasing Facility is a funding scheme made available by the Department to allow AHBs source the equity necessary to access private or Housing Finance Agency (HFA) loan finance for the purchase or construction of units.
The AHB can apply for CALF funding of up to 30% of the capital cost. The residual cost is borrowed from the prime lender, which can be the Housing Finance Agency.
The CALF amount borrowed is a loan and is repayable at the end of the term. The AHB enters into a Payment & Availability Agreement with the Council over the life of the facility and the properties are made available to the Council to house social housing tenants. The AHB charges rent to the tenants based on the Council’s differential rent scheme.
Tenants are allocated to the units by the Council in consultation with the AHB.
Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS)
AHBs can access funding under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) to provide housing for specific categories of users e.g. elderly, homeless, users with various forms of disability, care leavers etc.
The Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, via local authorities, is the only lender for the scheme.
Tenants are generally allocated to the units by the Council in consultation with the AHB. In some cases, where the AHB funds part of the capital cost, they may acquire some nomination rights under the scheme.
Leasing
AHBs can procure units under the leasing initiative. This would involve the AHB securing a long-term lease from a private owner/developer and making the units available to the Council by way of a Payment & Availability Agreement. Tenants would be allocated to a unit and charged rent in the same manner as in the CALF facility.
For further information, please contact:
Phone: 0818 06 5000
