By Fiona Frawley

The apartments are advertised as "a unique opportunity to experience city living at its very best."

The Church of Ireland is developing nine rental homes to "address the shortage of affordable housing" in Rathmines by charging people €4,000 a month for three-bed residences. The Coram Deo project in Purser Gardens, Rathmines consists of nine rental homes, which were built in place of the now-demolished residential building of Holy Trinity Church. According to the Holy Trinity Church website, the aim of the project is to "create a 'footprint of community" and further resource the ability of Holy Trinity Church to serve its local area. The residences are now available to rent on Daft.ie, at a cost of €2,600 per month for a 1-bed apartment or €4,000 per month for a 2-bed. The properties are advertised as "a unique opportunity to experience city living at its very best." [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Credit: Daft.ie[/caption] Holy Trinity Church Rector, Reverend Rob Jones, said “The decision to redevelop the site was not driven by commercial reasons but by the vision for Holy Trinity Church to be a loving community; one that reaches and serves others by sharing God’s love in a fresh way.” Speaking to the Irish Times, Rev. Rob Jones also said that the back block, which contains the six apartments and duplexes, was essentially funding the front block, which contains the rectory, the curate’s house, and the five-bed townhouse.

The front block is intended to house up to 15 people, including parish workers, local people, and a number of Ukrainian refugees at significantly reduced rents, he said. The church already houses Ukrainian refugees at a nearby site.

“The commercial side will pay for the other side but also it will bring in revenue for us as a parish,” Rev. Jones said.

Rathmines and the surrounding suburbs of Rathgar and Ranelagh are among the most expensive areas for housing in the country. According to estate agent Sherry FitzGerald, a 1-bed apartment in Rathmines typically rents for about €1,750 a month while a 3-bed would go for about €3,500 a month.

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