New enhanced VacantHomes.ie digital offering unveiled

VACANT homes officers from all over the country attended a network event in Dublin today, hosted by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

Mayo County Council, as part of its commitment to Rebuilding Ireland, developed the innovative Vacant Homes website in 2017 as a vital tool in the effort to identify and bring back into use long-term homes.

This source of locally generated information is proving most useful in supplementing the country-wide analysis on vacancy and in mobilising communities to assist local authorities in developing and implementing a targeted approach.

The latest statistics indicate that 3,150 properties have been registered to date on vacanthomes.ie and act as a solid 'lead' for local authorities to undertake desk-top analysis in determining ownership of potentially vacant dwellings. Of the properties logged, 48% are based in Leinster, 34% in Munster, 15% in Connaught and 3% in Ulster.

This source of locally generated information is proving most useful in supplementing the country-wide analysis on vacancy and in mobilising communities to assist local authorities in developing and implementing a targeted approach.

All properties registered on the website are sent on to the relevant local authorities in real time to speed up the process of finding and engaging with the owners of homes that can be brought back into use.

VacantHomes.ie also provides helpful information for property owners on how to bring their vacant properties back into use and on financial supports available. Almost 300 empty homes have been brought back into use by local authorities or the original owners since the website began collecting data.

Bringing long-term vacant homes back into use is providing much needed housing for families and individuals with a housing need, in addition to helping rejuvenate areas that are in decline. Returning vacant homes to their former glory is also taking the pressure off new builds.

Tom Gilligan, Director of Services with Mayo County Council, is the driving force behind the creation of the website and he outlined the new aspects of the website: “We are looking forward to highlighting our successful www.VacantHomes.ie website. There are several new modifications to the website which will assist housing authorities to provide more social housing units that will help alleviate homelessness and reduce the number of people currently in emergency accommodation.

“The event was a great opportunity to have vacant home officers from all over the country in one room to learn about a number of initiatives, including best practices in relation to Compulsory Purchase Orders, which is a key tool to help bring vacant homes back into use.

“Vacant home officers are at the coalface of dealing with property owners and vacant homes. Their work is proving invaluable in relation to ongoing efforts to breathe new life in to empty and in some cases derelict buildings. The team at VacantHomes.ie is only too happy to help and assist housing authorities in trying to reduce housing waiting lists and help solve the current housing crisis.”

Some of the new features available on VacantHomes.ie include a text alert to notify a vacant home officer of new properties logged. It also includes the contact details, photos and quotes from vacant home officers, the creation of a new user interface for ease of navigation and a new animated explainer video.

Vacant homes officers heard presentations from Brendan Buggy, of the Vacant Homes Unit in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Tom Gilligan, Director of Services with Mayo County Council, Olivia Gallagher, Vacant Homes Officer, Mayo County Council, and Paul Connolly, Acting Senior Executive Engineer in Monaghan County Council.

The Housing Agency also sat in at the network event to provide advice and answer queries from the floor.