Clare County Council is appealing to those who have unoccupied properties to offer them as temporary homes for those fleeing war in Ukraine.
The call is part of a new government initiative, led by local authorities, to make use of unoccupied houses, apartments or holiday homes to house Ukrainian people and families.
A tax-free recognition payment of €800 per month is available for properties used to house those arriving from Ukraine. This payment rate applies from 1st December, 2022.
More than 60,000 people have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine seeking safety and the vast majority need accommodation.
Under a new programme, Clare County Council will take offers of houses, apartments, or holiday homes for temporary accommodation, liaise with owners to assess suitability, and arrange for their use by Ukrainian people and families.
Property owners can offer homes at offerahome.ie or by contacting Clare County Council via email at: offerahome@clarecoco.ie.
Those who offer a property can expect to be contacted by the local authority within 5 working days of making their offer and an assessment of the property will be carried out by the local authority shortly after. The assessment is to ensure the property is habitable and to get some details so it can be matched to the most appropriate person or family.
Anybody who offers a property will be able to check the status of their offer at any stage through the website, offerahome.ie.
This is a call for stand-alone properties that are not occupied by others. Properties should be in liveable condition and, ideally, available for at least 6 months. Clare County Council recognises the importance of stable communities and services and as such is asking that people consider offering for longer periods.
While rent will not be payable to those who offer properties, a tax-free recognition payment of €800 per month is available from the Department of Social Protection to those who offer accommodation to Ukrainians.
Appealing to the people of Clare to offer unused properties, Jason Murphy, Director of Services for Ukrainian Services Development, Clare County Council, said:
“The communities in Clare continue to support the people of Ukraine. Unfortunately, the crisis is ongoing, and the country needs to continually adapt and respond. We acknowledge the generosity of individuals, host families and community groups and are appealing now to anyone who has a suitable unoccupied house or apartment that they are not using at the moment to consider offering it to those who need shelter and safety from war.
“We are trying to place people in accommodation close to where they may already be staying in an effort to keep our communities supported – there are children in schools – new friends made – people working, new community volunteers and new services in place too and it is important that we try not to unduly impact these new relationships. For these reasons we would ask that you consider offering for longer than the 6 months if you can at all.
“We understand that it can be daunting to offer a property to someone you don’t know. That is why local authorities will work with you throughout the process and be there to offer support while your property is being used.
“If you have a property that is otherwise going to be empty into 2023, please consider offering it for those who need a safe home for a while,” Mr Murphy concluded.
To offer a property or for more information, visit www.offerahome.ie.