Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

964. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when he will next update the Basic Unit Costs (BUCs) and the Acquisition Cost Guidelines (ACGs) for social housing; if these same measures are applied to affordable housing delivered via cost rental equity loan, CREL and the affordable housing fund, AHF; and if he will give a commitment to make the revised BUCs and ACGs available to Deputies, on publication.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12652/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The most recent Basic Unit Costs (BUCs) and Acquisition Cost Guidelines (ACGs) were issued in Q2 2024. The next update to both is due in Q2 2025.

BUCs and ACGs are only applicable to social housing units. A copy of both can be made available on request.

CREL projects must achieve at least a 25% discount to open market rents for their cost rental units in the relevant area where they are located and also achieve affordability for the eligible income cohort. Under Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, the rents charged in cost rental housing must be based on “the estimated total cost to the owner (duly apportioned where the application relates to more than one dwelling) of acquiring, developing and otherwise making available the dwelling and of letting the dwelling to tenants under cost rental tenancies for the duration of the cost calculation period” which is a minimum of 40 years under the terms of the CREL Scheme.

In relation to AHF, the scheme has operated on the basis that the individual unit all-in development costs must not exceed the upper limits set out in the table below, relevant to scheme density and location. In addition to the below, in order to qualify under the AHF scheme, the home must be advertised at a minimum affordable purchase price that is at least 15% below the market value for a comparable property or at a rent that is at least 25% below comparable market rents.