New grant scheme to support home ownership and tackle vacancy in Mayo
A NEW €50m scheme - the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund - will support bringing vacant and underused buildings in Mayo’s towns and villages back into residential use.
The fund will be delivered through local authorities who will provide a grant to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, with priority given to applications in areas where the level of vacancy or dereliction is high.
A grant of up to €30,000 will be available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence, including the conversion of a property which has not been used as a home before now.
Where a property is derelict, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 will be available, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €50,000. This can also be combined with the SEAI Better Energy Home Scheme that covers works of up to €26,750.
Said Deputy Ring: “Many areas of towns and villages in Mayo are experiencing vacancy and dereliction and we want to breathe new life into these communities and ensure they are better places in which to live, to work and to raise families.
“The scheme is set to benefit those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house or building into their principal private residence and become part of the community in the area. We are working to create vibrant town centres in Mayo once more.”
It is intended that the Croí Cónaithe Fund will apply in all towns with a population of over 400 people, and also to some smaller villages, which may not be defined towns or villages for the purposes of the CSO Census mapping but with sufficient provision of services and amenities, he explained.
Further information will be available from the vacant homes officer in each local authority.
Deputy Alan Dillon explained how properties considered for inclusion must be vacant for two years or more and built before 1993. Confirmation of vacancy must be validated and verified by the local authority prior to grant approval.
The Croí Cónaithe fund, he said, is another key delivery milestone in the government’s Housing for All plan and supporting home ownership. It will be complemented by the upcoming vacant property tax to help bring more properties back into use across the country.
Senator Lisa Chambers also welcomed the new grant scheme, which offers grants of €30,000 to €50,000 for first-time buyers to support the refurbishment of empty homes while breathing new life into our towns and villages.
She said: “There is a huge appetite across Mayo for people to be able to live and work in their local area and this scheme will support people to do so while breathing new life into our towns and villages.”