Minister Cummins welcomes approval for St John’s Presbytery in Waterford City to be renovated to provide accommodation for women experiencing homelessness
First homeless accommodation project funded by the repair and leasing scheme
The Minister of State for Planning, John Cummins TD today welcomed the approval to use the Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) to renovate St John’s Presbytery, a large vacant property in Waterford city centre and convert it into a centre for homeless women in a new pilot project expanding the RLS model to provide such accommodation.
The building will include nine apartments, six emergency units and a meeting room to provide support services to the residents. The Tinteán Housing Association will provide accommodation and services to up to 15 women experiencing homelessness in the renovated building. Work will commence shortly, and the building is expected to be available for occupation by April 2026.
Minister of State Cummins TD emphasised, “As a local TD, I am delighted to see this project which I have worked extensively on with all stakeholders move forward. When complete, it will provide supported accommodation for 15 women experiencing homelessness and enable Tinteán, an experienced homeless service provider, to work with these women towards their exit from homelessness.
“As well as providing a much-needed service to some of the most vulnerable in our city, the development will give new life to this historic building which has been vacant for many years and act as a catalyst for regeneration in this central location area of Waterford City.
“Indeed, the building will be ideal for the services to be provided. Within the setting of the Old Presbytery, Tinteán will be able to offer individual living quarters for the women who access their complex and medium support services, thus affording them the anonymity and personal space to focus on their individual and personalised programmes.
“Waterford has been to the fore in the delivery of homes under the Repair and Lease scheme with over 50% of the national total delivered in Waterford. This is a scheme which I have consistently championed, and I want to see Local Authorities nationally do more in this space.”
Helena Dennehy, Director of Services, Waterford City and County Council welcomed the confirmed funding approval from the Department for this pilot project expanding the Repair and Leasing model and building on the success of the scheme across Waterford to date.
“Waterford has a robust track record in delivering units under the Repair and Leasing scheme and we are looking forward to a continuing working relationship in the homeless areas with service providers Tinteán.
This is a new departure for the Repair and Leasing Scheme which has previously been used to provide long term homes for households that qualify for social housing.
Under the scheme, a property owner is provided with an interest free loan to renovate their property. The renovated home is leased to the local authority or an AHB with the loan being repaid as a discount on the lease payment.
