Calls to fix ‘cumbersome' Limerick housing grants failing first-time city buyers
'These grants are not working,' said Social Democrats' Elisa O'Donovan, 'we need more people living in our city centre.'
'I know so many people who want to live in the city centre. However, it is so expensive for them to do up a derelict property or an old Georgian house,' she added.
Referring to the Living City Initiative, she said: 'The number of successful applicants for that initiative and for that grant has gone from 24 successful applicants in 2022 to only nine last year, and that's both for residential and commercial.'
On other schemes, she added: 'Only one private residence in the metropolitan area was awarded funding last year' through the Historic Structures Fund.
'The only people that I know who have been successful in getting this grant in Limerick city are property developers or landlords,' she continued, referring to the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant which can get a prospective applicant up to €70,000.
'I just know one person who was eligible for this to have it as their primary residence, but then eventually they rented it out, and now they actually have multiple properties within the city centre.'
She concluded: 'I believe we should write to the government to ensure that first-time buyers, those who need that €70,000 to renovate a city centre property and make it their home, are prioritised for this funding, so we can create a more liveable city.'
'These houses in the city centre, they're not just investments for developers and landlords. They are possible homes for people,' said Cllr Shane Hickey-O'Mara, who seconded the motion. 'We need life in the city desperately.'
Cllr Maria Donoghue added: 'A lot of our grant schemes for capital works are quite onerous and cumbersome.
'You have to spend the money up front before you can get the grant. I support anything that brings life into the city, but if you need the money up front in order to access the money, well then it's a circuitous and ineffective grant and we should look at it.'
'Anything that brings life back into the city and helps us become a liveable city, it has to be commended,' said Cllr Ursula Gavan.
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