USI Welcomes Funding For Student Housing Project Manager

The Union of Students in Ireland has welcomed the allocation of €49,000 in support of the appointment of a Student Housing Project Manager to help identify additional student housing, including ‘digs’ and lodgings in private homes, as the next academic year approaches.

Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Simon Coveney, and Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, Damien English, announced the allocation of the funds after launching Rebuilding Ireland, the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness; and after USI re-launched its website, homes.usi.ie, a website where homeowners can sign up to let spare bedrooms to students for the academic year and make up to €12,000 annually tax-free. Last year homes.usi.ie assisted a total of 600 students find accommodation.

The Rebuilding Ireland, the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness identified student accommodation as a key area to be addressed within the Plan’s five pillars to tackle Ireland’s national housing challenges. The Action Plan identifies the importance of providing dedicated and additional student accommodation to avoid putting additional pressures on the private rental sector, particularly in and around the many universities and third-level institutions in urban areas.

USI said the funding for the appointment of a Student Housing Project Manager is a progressive step to address and enhance measures in the student accommodation sector and to assist students in finding appropriate accommodation.

“Homes.usi.ie has already proved to be absolutely vital for students across Ireland searching for accommodation.” USI President, Annie Hoey, said. “With the funding from the Department, USI will be able to better support the student accommodation crisis in sourcing and developing new, existing and potential accommodation for college students across Ireland.”