Affordable Housing

Naas Town Council offers for sale a number of affordable houses which will be made available as a result of agreements with developers concluded in accordance with the provisions of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

What is Affordable Housing?

Definition:

Affordable Housing Schemes involve the provision of new houses on land provided by or acquired (under Part V of the Planning & Development Act 2000) by the local authority in or near centres where increasing house prices have created an affordability gap. These houses will be offered for sale to eligible purchasers at a significant discount from the market value of comparable houses in the area.

Main Elements of Affordable Housing Scheme

• Houses provided by Naas Town Council under this scheme will be sold at cost price,i.e. at a discount from market value.
• To be eligible to purchase a house, persons must satisfy an income test or surrender a local authority or voluntary housing accommodation.
• Loan finance up to 95% of sale price may be provided by Kildare County Council to eligible purchasers at current variable interest rate of 4.95% or a fixed rate of 6.5% excluding mortgage protection.
• A graduated subsidy will reduce mortgage repayment for households with incomes of €25,395 per annum or less.
• The €3,809 new house grant will be payable to all first time buyers.
• A minimum deposit of 5% of the sale price is required.
• If the house purchased is resold within 20 years from the date of purchase, the person selling the property shall pay to the Council out of the proceeds of the sale an amount equal to a percentage of the proceeds, as detailed in the Explanatory Leaflet.

Completed form and relevant documentation should be returned to: Housing Section, Naas Town Council, Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Newbridge Rd., Naas.

• Please note that Naas Town Council will treat all information and personal data which you provide as confidential. It will only be disclosed to other bodies in accordance with housing legislation and will be subject to Naas Town Council's responsibilities under the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act.
• This data will be used for the purposes of Private Rented Dwellings legislation and regulations.

Information to be submitted with Housing Application

PAYE WORKER:

1) (a) 3 current payslips from employer. Completed Forms LF1,LF2 and LF3
2) (b) Income Tax Form Original P60 and P.A.Y.E. Balancing Statement (P21) for preceding year.
3) Stamp 4 if non EU Citizen, Birth Cert, Passport (EU Citizens)
4) Certificate from Department of Social Welfare for preceding year
5) Letter confirming permanency of employment.
6) If present accommodation is rented, a statement of weekly rent signed by the Landlord must be submitted or submit a copy of the rent book.

SELF-EMPLOYED

1) Forward a Set of Accounts for preceding tax year including your Income Tax computation, together with the Long Form of most recent Notice of Assessment.
2) If Self Employed, a letter is required from your Accountant certifying your weekly current net income, the agreed tax assessment (signed and stamped by the Inspector of Taxes) together with audited accounts for the tax year immediately preceding date of application.
3) Stamp 4, Birth Cert, Passport.
4) Completed LF1, LF2 and LF3 Forms (attached).
If present accommodation is rented, a statement of weekly rent signed by the Landlord must be submitted or submit a copy of the Rent Book.

PLEASE NOTE: All questions set out on the Application Form must be completed. In the event of non-completion or failure to submit required documents, your Application Form will be returned as your application CANNOT be determined until all relevant facts are known.

Eligibility:

An eligible person is someone "who is in need of accommodation and whose income would not be adequate to meet the payments on a mortgage for the purchase of a house to meet his or her accommodation needs, because the payments calculated over the course of a year would exceed 35% of that persons annual income, net of income tax and pay related social insurance". (Section 93(1) of Planning & Development Act 2000.)

The following persons are considered eligible:

(a) Existing tenants and tenant purchasers of local authority houses who surrender their existing houses to the local authority.
(b) Tenants of one years standing of houses provided by approved voluntary housing bodies under the Rental Subsidy Scheme who return their houses to the Voluntary Housing Body.
(c) Persons in need of housing who satisfy the income tests.
(d) Persons whose mortgage repayments on a house that would adequately meet their housing requirements would exceed 35% of their annual net income.

You are also eligible under Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 if you

(i) You are seeking to purchase a house but your mortgage repayments would exceed 35% of your annual net income or
(ii) You are an existing home owner and your current mortgage repayments exceed 35% of you annual net income.

Income Criteria:

• Single Income Household: Income less than €58,000 per annum
• Duel Income Household: Income less than €75,000 per annum

Finance :

Loans will be advanced to purchasers, who comply with the afore-mentioned income limits, over a 25 year term by Kildare County Council. The purchaser is also free to source their mortgage from any other Financial Agency.
The loan cannot exceed 95% of the Sale Price and is also subject to the purchaser's ability to repay the loan.

The Department of the Environment New House Grant of €3,810 will be payable to all first time purchasers. The grant can be used to part fund the 5% deposit required or to reduce the amount borrowed. In any event a minimum deposit of €2540 (£2000) will be required from the purchaser.

Mortgage Subsidy: Households with a Gross Income not exceeding €25,500 in the preceeding year will qualify for a mortgage subsidy towards the monthly instalments due on the loan (amount will vary according to income).

Allocation:

Each local authority is required to adopt a Scheme of Allocation Priorities. The making of a Scheme of Allocation Priorities is a reserved function of the authority.

Allocation Criteria to be considered:

• The accommodation needs of eligible persons, in particular eligible persons who have not previously purchased or built a house for their occupation or for any other purpose (i.e. first time buyers).
• Current housing circumstances of eligible persons
• The financial circumstances of eligible persons.
• The period for which eligible persons have resided in the area.
• Whether eligible persons own houses or land in the area of the development plan or elsewhere.
• Distance of affordable housing from places of employment of eligible persons.
• Any other matters which the local authority considers appropriate.

Allocation Priorities:

Each local authority must prepare a scheme of allocation priorities for affordable housing. The Department of Environment & Local Government supply a model scheme but stress that each authority should include what it considers appropriate to its own area.

The Council must have regard to the Strategic Planning Guidelines and accordingly, priority will be given to applicants who are at present residing and who are employed in Naas and the surrounding areas.

The Council must also have regard to the Equal Status Act, 2000.