Yesterday, Wednesday, 25th October 2023, 10.00am - Chairperson, Pearse O’Shiel launched the 2022 Annual Report for Co-operative Housing Ireland (CHI).  The report welcomes a number of significant outputs from CHI in its efforts to provide high-quality homes to low-income households across Ireland since 1973.  

Highlights of Year-End 2022:

• 463 homes delivered and 1,853 people made a CHI property their home

o 341 homes delivered in Munster

o 88 homes delivered in Leinster

o 34 homes delivered in Connacht

• 12,562 people living in CHI homes by year-end 2022 (+24% over 2021)

• Operating in 22 counties in partnership with 29 local authorities

• 52 Deep Energy Retrofits delivered

• 95%+ of CHI New Homes are sustainable BER A-rated homes

• €153 million loan funding drawn down for 2022 development

• Winner of “Retrofitting / Renovation project for the year” in the 2022 Irish Building and Design Awards

• Finalist in the European Responsible Housing Awards which took place in Helsinki during the International Social Housing Festival in the category ‘More than Bricks and Mortar’ for the CHI Syrian Refugee Resettlement project.

Speaking at the launch held at an event in Buswells Hotel, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, CHI Chairperson, Pearse O’Shiel, said, “CHI welcomed its 4,000th family into our co-operative community in 2022.  We are very proud that as of 2022 more than 12,500 people across Ireland call a CHI house or apartment ‘their home for life’.  We will build upon this strong foundation for the future and continue to play our part in satisfying the increasing housing output needs in Ireland.”

Also speaking at the launch, CHI’s Director of Policy and Communications, Eoin Carroll, said, “We are on track for a record-breaking year in 2023 of over 700 homes which is a keen accomplishment particularly against the backdrop of the challenges the housing sector has faced in the last few years. We continue to enjoy strong working partnerships with the local authorities, the Department of Housing, the Housing Finance Agency and other lenders, and the Housing Agency in delivering much-needed homes across Ireland to individuals and families.”

CHI Board Member and Member Tenant, Frances Kawala, who lives in a CHI home in Birr, Co. Offaly, also commented at the launch “The core tenets of CHI are to champion the co-operative principles in delivering homes and supporting communities.  A way in which CHI achieves this is the inclusion of the Member voice at all levels in the organisation ensuring that CHI not only provides housing units, but sustainable communities where people can thrive.”  

CHI is unique as an organisation in that all new Member tenants are part of a local co-operative, allowing them a real say, concrete input into decisions affecting their estates and communities. Member tenants have the opportunity to shape their community and nominate people to be elected to CHI’s Board thereby influencing the direction of Co-operative Housing Ireland as an organisation.

Read the full report here.