Vacant property refurbishment grants will be expanded as part of the Government's new housing plan which will be published this morning.
The new housing plan - 'Delivering Homes, Building Communities' - will pledge that a minimum of 300,000 new homes will be built up to 2030.
It is expected to state this is not an upper limit, but a realistic projection of what is achievable by getting the public and private sector working effectively together.
A new €400 million tranche of equity to support smaller construction companies to build homes will also be included in the plan.
The strategy will aim to convert more vacant shops and premises into homes with funding of up to €140,000 per property set to be made available.
There will be finance for expert advice on how best to turn these spaces into residential units.
The Above The Shop top-up grant could also be extended to include properties that are owned by small companies.
Overall, the plan hopes to bring 20,000 homes back into use through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
Councils will provide serviced sites close to towns where social and affordable homes can be built along with self-build houses.
Minister of State at the Department of Housing John Cummins told a Fine Gael meeting last night that there will effectively be a league table of councils measuring performance on home delivery and efforts to tackle dereliction and vacancy.
The best performing will then get more funding.
For renters, the Residential Tenancy Board’s deadlines to resolve disputes will be put on a statutory footing.
The income thresholds for local authority loans will also be reviewed.
A plan to allow modular homes without planning permission in gardens is set to be finalised in the new year.
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Under the plan, the State will deliver 72,000 social homes.
It promises that this will ensure those most in need have access to a good quality home of their own.
It recognised that homelessness is the single most pressing social issue that the country faces.
90,000 starter homes are pledged under the plan which Government believes will enable thousands of people to realise their dream of homeownership.
The plan will aim to support the private sector to deliver homes at much greater scale by providing more zoned and serviced land; reducing planning, legal and regulatory delays and by increasing investment in public infrastructure.
