GLOSSARY

AGM (Annual General Meeting): This is a meeting held once a year when a housing association reports formally to its members. Essential elements of the AGM include electing directors, reappointing company auditors and consideration and presentation of accounts.

Articles of Association: The Articles of Association of a housing association set out the requirements and rules dealing with membership, election of the Board of Directors, legal powers of the Board, the secretary, meetings, notices, keeping of proper financial accounts, auditing and filing an annual return.

ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order): An ASBO is an injunction taken out against individuals who have been involved in persistent acts of anti social behaviour.

BER (Building Energy Rating): From January 1, 2009, all homes that are to be sold or let are required to have a BER, which sets out the home’s energy efficiency. BER reports may only be supplied by an assessor who is registered with Sustainable Energy Ireland.

Board of Management: A group of people who have volunteered and been elected to control the affairs of a housing association. They can come from all walks of life but must have some interest or experience which relates to the work that the housing association does and the community it serves. It may also be called a Management Committee, Management Board, Board, or Board of Trustees.

Brownfield Site: A site that has been developed previously, may already have a building on it. The site would normally require refurbishment or demolition.

Capacity Building: Activities, resources and support that strengthen the skills and abilities of people and community groups, to take effective action and leading roles in the development of their communities.

Capital Assistance Scheme: Set up in 1984, a scheme which is administered by the local authorities and provides assistance to housing associations towards capital costs of accommodation. It is usually used for special needs housing such as for the elderly, people with disabilities and the homeless.

Capital Expenditure: The money that landlords spend on buying land, or building and improving housing.

Capital Funding: Funding provided by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and administered through local authorities for approved housing associations, in order to construct housing developments.

Capital Funding Schemes: The mechanisms whereby a housing association applies for capital funding under the DoEHLG capital funding schemes which are administered by the local authorities.

CDB: County/City Development Boards established in 34 county and city areas to co-ordinate and support a more integrated approach to service delivery at local levels.

Code of Conduct: This is a list of guidelines that describe how members of a committee or group are expected to carry out their duties and conduct themselves when at meetings, or acting on behalf of their organisation.

Companies Registration Office: (CRO) The Companies Registration Office is the central repository of public statutory information on Irish companies. The CRO has a number of core functions including the incorporation of new companies and enforcement of the Companies Acts in relation to the filing obligations of companies.

Company Limited by Guarantee: In this form of company, board members have guaranteed limited liability in the event of the association folding and leaving debts.

Company Limited by Guarantee and Not Having a Share Capital: In this form of company, board members have guaranteed limited liability in the event of the association folding and leaving debts. Also, all the profits are reinvested in the company.

Compliance: Process whereby a property developer ensures that it satisfies the necessary legislative requirements and regulations that it operates under.

Disability Act: A legislative act which includes a number of positive action measures designed to advance and underpin participation by people with disabilities in everyday life.

DoEHLG: Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting): A meeting called by an association or a company in order to deal with exceptional circumstances. Matters dealt with at an EGM may include amending the Memorandum or Articles of Association, removing a director or winding up the company.

EIS: Environmental Impact Statement: Certain types of planning applications which are considered by the planning authority to have potentially significant effects on the environment will require the submission of an EIS with the application. In some cases an EIS may be requested as further information.

EU Procurement Rules: The application of the mandatory European Union procedures by a public body for the appointment of a successful tenderer. In the case of a housing association this would involve the appointment of tenderer for building works and the operation of services.

Family Type Unit: A house or apartment suitable for a family, usually comprising of two or more bedrooms.

Feasibility Stage: Preliminary work usually that is undertaken by consultants prior to the start of the formal procurement process.

Greenfield Site: A site that hasn’t previously been developed.

Housing Strategies: Derived from Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006. Each local authority is required to include within their development plan a housing strategy. Each strategy must contain measures that address the housing need of the existing and future population of local authority districts, in the areas of housing development and planning.

Legal Incorporation: The process of forming a company following the adoption of the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Letting Policy Statement: A statement that a housing association adopts to clearly set out the conditions under which it will offer to allocate its vacant property.

Lifetime Adaptable Housing: Where housing providers make provisions for possible future alterations of new buildings and renovated housing stock, at low cost, to accommodate the changing needs of occupants as they age or suffer ill health.

Lifecycle Approach: A perspective where the citizen is the centre piece of building a new social policy approach. The lifecycle approach includes children, people of working age, older people and people with disabilities.

Limited Liability: In a company with limited liability the directors are not personally liable for the debts of the company (although this may not extend to issues where the Board is deemed to act in a negligent manner).

Management & Maintenance Allowance: The annual sum paid by the local authority to housing associations who manage houses or apartments under the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme.

MEAT: The most economically advantageous tender, whereby tenders are assessed to determine which offers the best value for money. The criterion chosen depends on the objective of the contract.

Memorandum of Association: The Memorandum is part of the governing instrument of the housing association. It sets out the objects of the housing association (i.e. why the company has been set up and its purpose) and the non-profit basis on which it is formed.

Multi-Occupancy Units: Units that are provided in apartment or flat complexes or where housing associations have acquired second hand property and have divided it into a number of units (often for special needs groups).

NABCO: National Association of Building Co-operatives.

NAPs Inclusion: (The National Action Plan against Poverty and Social Exclusion), drawn up every 2-3 years as part of EU strategy to make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty by 2010.

National Anti Poverty Strategy: Revised in 2002, arising from commitments made at the UN World Summit for Social Development in 1995, the Irish Government approved the development of a National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS). The ten-year strategy, which was developed by an Inter-Departmental Policy Committee (IDPC) comprised of high level officials from relevant Government Departments, and was initially launched in April 1997 following wide-ranging consultation and participation with the social partners. A NAPS Unit, based in the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, was established to co-ordinate implementation of the Strategy.

National Development Plan: A follow up from the NDP 2000-2006, the current NDP sets out the strategic framework for investment in infrastructure and enterprise development by the government, over the period 2007-2013. It aims to achieve balanced regional development under the national spatial strategy, to promote social inclusion and the disability strategy while taking account the structural and economic factors of the next seven years.

National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities: A strategy developed in order to support the provision of specialist housing and housing supports to people with disabilities including adults with disabilities and people who experience mental illness.

National Spatial Strategy: The National Spatial Strategy 2002-2020 (published on 28th November 2002) is a 20 year coherent national planning framework for Ireland lead by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. It aims to achieve a better balance of social, economic and physical development across Ireland, supported by more effective and integrated planning.

OJEU: The Official Journal of the European Union, which allows interested parties throughout Europe to consider bidding for a large construction contracts.

Outline Permission: When a person is unsure that they will get planning permission for what they propose, and they do not want to go to the full expense of preparing a full planning application, they can apply for outline permission. An outline application only requires the basic details of what is proposed. When outline permission is granted, it is in effect permission 'in principle' however a person cannot go ahead and build their development with just outline permission. Within three years of getting outline permission, a person may apply for 'permission on foot of outline permission', which will show the detail of the development, and, provided it is in keeping with the outline permission already granted, will normally be granted permission.

Part V of Planning and Development Act: Local planning authorities can require developers to provide up to 20% of their development for social and affordable housing. A housing association can be nominated to manage the social housing.

PIN notice: Under EU rules, a Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to be published as soon as the decision to proceed with a building project and commissioning services has begun.

Planning Officer: The Planning Officer is employed by the local authority and is responsible for all planning applications in that area complying with the local authority plan.

Planning Permission: Permission from the local planning authority to develop land or property. Development includes the carrying out of works (building, demolition, alteration) on land or buildings and making significant changes to the use of land or buildings.

Rent: Money paid to a landlord by a tenant in exchange for occupying a property.

Rent Arrears: If a tenant falls behind with their rent payments they are said to be in rent arrears. Tenants who are in rent arrears would be advised to contact their landlord as soon as possible to try and sort the problem out, as being in arrears is a breach of the tenancy agreement and can lead to the tenant being evicted.

Repairs: Mending something that is broken, inside or outside of your home e.g. a blocked drainpipe or a dripping tap. A tenant should refer to their tenancy agreement to see whether they or their landlord is responsible for carrying out a particular repair.

RFT: Request for tenders in the procurement process.

Sanctioning Funding: Each capital funding application, under whichever capital funding scheme, has to receive finance ‘sanctioned’ from the DoEHLG.

Service Charge: The money tenants and leaseholders pay for services such as wardens, common rooms and cleaning, lighting and maintenance of common areas.

Sinking Fund: A percentage of the rental income set aside on a regular basis for the longer term replacement or repair of major items in the future (roof, central heating, windows etc.)

Site Funding: Funding provided to housing associations for all site works up to foundation level including acquisition, demolition, professional fees, archaeological surveys etc.

Social Economy: That part of the economy which is neither private nor public, operating for community benefit, examples include the EBS, credit unions, agricultural co-operatives, the GAA and housing associations.

SRAs: Social rental agencies have been established to intervene in the private rented sector to source accommodation for tenants from private landlords.

Streamlining: The process of restructuring the local authority and Departmental appraisal and approval procedures of new housing developments in order to facilitate the smooth and speedy implementation of projects.

Sustainable Communities: Places where people want to live and work now and in the future. They meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents. They are sensitive to their environment and contribute to a high quality of life. They are safe and inclusive, well built and run and offer equality of opportunity and good services to all.

Taking in Charge Process: A process whereby the local authority takes over responsibility of the common areas, footpaths, and roads within a housing association project.

Technical Guidelines: DoEHLG guidelines for housing, including minimum floor areas etc.

Tenancy Agreement: A signed contract between a landlord and a tenant. A tenancy agreement sets out what is expected of each party, and what rights each has.

Tenant Consultation: Housing associations asking the views of its tenants regarding issues relating to the association.

Tenant Participation: A two way process involving sharing of information and ideas where tenants are able to influence decisions and take part in what is happening.

Tenants Handbook: Handbook given to new tenants by a local authority or housing association or landlord. It contains useful information about the tenancy and the landlord.

Towards 2016: A framework for the economic and social development of Ireland in the next 10 years, aiming to create a fairer and less polarised society. It aims to have social policy built around the “life-cycle approach”. Housing commitments in the agreement include: increased supply of social housing, improved funding systems, government commitments to 3,000 sites, improved housing and care for older people and people with disabilities, elimination of long-term homelessness by 2010. It is a vision for housing based on the idea of building “sustainable communities”.

Trustees: These are the people who are responsible for governing the affairs of approved housing bodies, who are established as trusts.

Turn-Key Development: Housing developments in which the housing associations purchase newly completed dwellings from a developer, for use as social housing.

Vacancy: An available unit or room in a housing scheme which will be filled by a tenant based on their fulfillment of appropriate criteria.

Value Based Selection of Consultants: This is a move away from selection based on price competition to a procedure which combines quality with cost to achieve the best value in the selection of consultants.