# A new approach to housing



## peemac (22 Aug 2022)

One issue is the bit by bit approach to housing. Try something, then try something else, then try something else. The current "try something" is the shared ownership. The next one will be a little bit of tinkering with rental tax.

If covid taught us anything it is that countries can make big changes and adapt and Ireland was quite good on that front. Housing is an emergency. The population is growing, the economy is growing.

It will require deflation in housing prices and those with houses have to accept that. This nimby excuse you see in many planning objections of "it will devalue neighbouring homes" has to be rejected outright.


You need rezoning of brownfield sites that have low rise warehouses in prime locations, (Naas road area is a classic example of delay in this whereas Sandyford "industrial estate" is an example of what can be done)

You need to identify new swathes of land and provide services. EG, Cherrywood.

You need to incentivise commencement of construction / penalise undue delay.

You need local "bus connects" type reliable transport to link into main transport arms to make commuter towns viable - but not a system that takes 10 years to implement (Naas is a classic example and its still at consultancy stage even though it would be so simple to implement)

You need to provide assistance to new buyers but with both price and size caps and incentive to stay in that property for 10+ years - similar to the Singapore model. So zero assistance if buying a 2,000 sq ft property and max incentive for 2/3bed 80/100sq m property.        

and one thing I believe would be a quick initial dart in the arm is to permit "garden rooms" where no other extension has been built to be used for living subject to it being occupied by a direct relative or leased to a college housing authority and subject to 5 year renewable licence and other conditions.

Ideally you need a housing Tsar possibly within the LDA that has absolute authority to push through decisions past councils if agreement within 60 or 90 days cannot be reached. That same person could insist on services being laid on - again without undue delay from councils.  


But this tinkering every few months does absolutely nothing.


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