Ava Housing
Michelle Moore
Ava Housing is an Irish, not-for-profit initiative that supports older homeowners to stay in their homes for longer, reducing the need for more costly forms of care. They help older people re-design their homes to better meet their needs into the future, and to create a space that can be rented out. The homeowner retains complete ownership of their home and controls who they share their home with. The Ava Housing initiative provides warmer homes, extra income and peace of mind.
The Ava Housing model works well for people in their 60s and early 70s who are living alone, it helps them to plan ahead so they can live in their homes and communities for longer. The scheme further enhances the financial resilience of older homeowners by leveraging their main asset, their home, to generate rental income. It also reduces social isolation levels and promotes a more sustainable use of existing housing stock.
Ava Housing was founded to offer older people an option when their house is too big but filled with memories. It’s for those who want to upgrade their home to better suit their needs but lack the financial means and don’t know where to start.
It’s also for those who are open to using the spare capacity in their homes to welcome another person to share their home, in a way that still allows them to live very independently and autonomously and helps them feel safer and more secure.
I am excited for the opportunity to work with the Changemakers Programme to further build on Ava Housing’s track record to enhance the lives and financial resilience of many more people.
Michelle Moore, founder of Ava Housing