Respond welcomes Government announcement on funding changes for building Cost Rental homes.

Respond, a leading Approved Housing Body (AHB) and service provider, has said they can triple the number of social and Cost Rental homes they have in construction to over 4,100 in the coming months. The organisation currently has 1,396 homes in construction. Respond, supported by Local Authorities, have secured fixed price contracts with major developers and construction firms and can vastly increase their social and Cost Rental homes in construction, subject to Government support. These comments were made welcoming the Government’s latest housing initiative regarding Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) which enables Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) like Respond to deliver Cost Rental Homes.

Niamh Randall, spokesperson for Respond, expressed the organisation’s support for the initiative:

“We are excited about the potential as we prepare to break ground on several large-scale developments that will deliver thousands of new homes for people who urgently need them. We have been working in the background on this for some time, today’s announcements look very promising and we are looking forward to receiving more detail.”

“We could triple the number of social and Cost Rental homes we have in construction up to 4,100, subject to greater clarity and the workability of the new scheme. People urgently need the security of a place to call home, they don’t have the time to wait. We are anxious to step up and put our experience and expertise to good use, building more homes for individuals and families who urgently need them.”

“We fully understand the complexity of housing delivery and have been working with key stakeholders on our plans. We are poised and ready to move on this immediately, subject to details being finalised. We are focused on delivering homes at the lowest possible rents while ensuring that our actual costs are fully covered and all risks are managed. As a not-for-profit Approved Housing Body (AHB) and service provider, we must continue to fulfil our obligations to our existing tenants and service users.”

Niamh Randall, spokesperson for Respond, emphasised Respond’s collaborative efforts with their partners to achieve these accomplishments.

“We have secured fixed price contracts with major developers and construction firms, in principle, supported at the highest level in Local Authorities,” she added, highlighting the positive engagement with the State in the development process. “We have been working closely with the State for some time now to help develop a sustainable and replicable Cost Rental model for the AHB sector, which could more deliver affordable Cost Rental homes in areas where they are most needed.”

With an extensive portfolio of 1,396 homes already under construction, Respond stands out as a construction-led AHB. An impressive 85% of their development schemes are construction-led, demonstrating their commitment to adding to the national housing stock through their home building program.

Respond actively collaborates with local organisations, tenants and residents to create inclusive communities, providing support and resources that contribute to the overall well-being and development of these communities.

This is all made possible through the support of Local Authorities and the Capital Advanced Leasing Facility (CALF) and the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) Scheme from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, along with private finance from the Housing Finance Agency (HFA).

We express deep sadness at the loss, describing him as a driving force for change

It is with great sadness that Respond has learnt of the death of Father Pat Cogan ofm., the founder and long-standing former Director and CEO. Father Pat founded the organisation in 1982 and remained involved as CEO and a director until 2016.

The deep condolences of the entire Respond community are with all of his family, the Franciscan Community and friends at this difficult time.

Father Pat, imbued by the Franciscan ethos, was a driving force for change in the development of social housing in Ireland as he sought to provide meaningful solutions to housing insecurity and homelessness. He oversaw the growth and development of the organisation for almost 35 years.

He was a major influence and pioneer in the Housing Association (Approved Housing Body) development sector within Ireland, working in close co-operation and partnership with Government Departments, local authorities, the Housing Finance Agency and others, with a particular focus on social inclusion, personal dignity and building sustainable communities.

Born in Cork in 1945, he became a member of the Franciscan Order in 1962 and was ordained a priest in 1970. He worked tirelessly in community development projects, particularly those that sought to improve the quality of life for low-income families supporting them to reach their full potential in life.

Expressing his condolences, John O’Connor, Chairperson of Respond said: “Father Pat passionately cared about the plight of people experiencing housing instability and homelessness and worked diligently to bring about change and housing security. He turned that vision into real action.”

“While a proud Cork man, he cared hugely for the city of Waterford where he first started tackling homelessness during the 1970s. His work expanded nationally, leaving a positive footprint in every county across Ireland.  I know he was hugely satisfied when Respond redeveloped St. John’s College into a vibrant new space for the Waterford community in 2016, adding to Respond’s considerable output of social homes in the city.”

“His work expand nationally building on those strong foundations, tackling the ongoing housing crisis and supporting communities by providing high quality homes and key support services to people and families at risk. There are now almost 6,500 properties Respond owns and/or manages across Ireland with almost 15,000 tenants supported in their homes and a wide range of services in the community.”

Declan Dunne, CEO of Respond added: “The loss of Father Pat is a source of sadness for all of us at Respond. He worked tirelessly in the housing sector for many years, working to build an Ireland where everyone can have a home to call their own and where individuals, families and communities are empowered to reach their full potential. His founding principles of a right to housing and social justice continue to guide Respond today, and we are committed to continuing the work begun by Father Pat. May he rest in peace.”

Respond in a partnership with Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) are embarking on a ground breaking new concept to develop a ‘Brain Health Village’.

The partnership between GBHI and Respond aims to examine our understanding of brain health and how it can be applied to housing design and to the provision and development of sustainable communities. This approach inherently touches on social justice and equity, reflecting both Respond and GBHI’s core mission and identity. Housing and the built environment can impact on brain health and cognitive development and ‘having a home’ can contribute significantly to an individual’s well-being, quality of life and their capacity to recover from illness and adversity.

This initiative is in its early stages and seeks to develop, implement, and evaluate a model framework for establishing a brain health friendly community. It is envisaged that this project will be a ‘pathfinder’ to establish ‘proof of concept’ for the model framework developed, which will then be replicable in other settings and jurisdictions.

We now wish to contract a consultant, researcher or organisation to develop an evaluation framework for the Brain Health Village Project, who can bring the required ‘academic rigour’ and expertise in developing this exciting concept.

The total budget to develop the evaluation framework is €70,000 (incl VAT).

The deadline for receiving submissions is by 2pm, 11^th November 2022.

Full details on the requirements of the tender and the process for submitting proposals are contained in the tender document that can be found HERE.

If you would like any further information, please contact Reyhana Cushnan, Policy Manager by email to: reyhana.cushnan@respond.ie.

Respond is delighted to offer new Cost Rental homes at Ballinglanna, Glanmire, Cork City.

The 32 new homes are located south east of Glanmire village with convenient access to a range of local services, schools and amenities. The scheme comprises of eight 3 bedroom houses, eight 2 bedroom houses, eight 2 bedroom duplex apartments, and eight 1 bedroom apartments.

Cost rental is not for profit housing where the rent you pay covers the cost of the construction, management and maintenance of your new home. Cost rental offers a long term, secure tenancy that is more affordable than market rents. Under the Government’s Cost Rental Scheme, rents must be a minimum 25% below open market value, with prices for Ballinglanna homes starting at €840 per month. This development will enable more middle-income households in Cork to access high-quality, secure rental homes close to their work and community.

• 1 bedroom apartments – €840 per calendar month
• 2 bedroom duplex apartments – €945 per calendar month
• 2 bedroom houses – €1,015 per calendar month
• 3 bedroom house – €1,085 per calendar month

For information on eligibility and how to apply for a cost rental property, please see our cost rental page: www.respond.ie/cost-rental

It is with much sadness this week that we mark the sudden death of Martina Comerford, our colleague, friend and Receptionist in High Park.

Martina was such a warm character and a friendly face to all of us when we arrived in High Park welcoming services users, staff and visitors alike. She was also involved in volunteer

work outside of Respond in the area of animal rescue especially rescuing dogs. We will miss Martina’s welcoming smile, the interest she showed in everyone, and her kindness.

Our deepest sympathies go to Martina’s family and loved ones.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam

We have just opened a new Early Learning and School Age Care service in Carraig Liath, Midleton Co. Cork, which will cater for 1-12 year olds. It will offer 34 places for 1-6yrs and 22 places for 6-12 year olds.

Respond has over 20 years of experience in the delivery of high quality Early Learning and School Age care. We have 16 services nationally, this will be our 17th, across 11 counties. Of these 12 are Early Year Services and 5 are standalone school age services. We provide the full range of services from full day care, part-time care, pre-school and school age care with over 500 children accessing our service daily.

If you’re interested in enrolling your child in Carraig Liath, you can call Dorota Przygoda on either of the numbers – Telephone: 0214613022 Mobile: 0877440069.

Email: CarraigLiathEY@respond.ie