Progress Ireland Advocates Texas-Style Development to Solve Housing Crisis

Progress Ireland, a think tank formed three years ago, is advocating for Ireland to adopt a development model inspired by Texas cities like Dallas, Houston, and Austin to address its housing and infrastructure crises. At a recent monthly meetup in Dublin, CEO Sean Keyes highlighted how increased supply in these US cities led to rent and house price reductions, in some cases by 5% after a 30% supply increase.

Keyes proposes simplifying Ireland’s planning system and intensifying construction, including scrapping planning permission for modular “garden homes” (32-45 sq m units) that can be rented tax-free up to €14,000 annually under the Rent-A-Room scheme. This initiative, dubbed ‘seomraí’ by Progress Ireland, has been adopted by the government. The group also draws significant attention due to funding from Stripe co-founder John Collison, who previously criticized delays in Irish infrastructure projects.

Despite attracting criticism from TDs like Paul Murphy, who views their efforts as a “corporate takeover” of the planning system, Progress Ireland maintains a constructive approach. Keyes noted an “uptick” in opposition but believes it signifies their effectiveness. The group aims to foster a “Yimby” (Yes In My Back Yard) movement to overcome “Nimby” (Not In My Back Yard) objections to new housing and infrastructure, drawing inspiration from books like Ezra Klein’s “Abundance.”

Keyes has addressed government officials, urging them to streamline major projects. The group’s proposals align with the government’s task force on infrastructure and Fine Gael’s plans to overhaul rural housing policy, indicating a potential shift towards Progress Ireland’s vision for increased construction and simplified planning.