Ó An Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitúil agus Oidhreachta
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The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has today (28 October 2022) published the Monthly Homeless Report for September 2022 and the Homeless Quarterly Progress Report for Quarter 3 2022.
The Monthly Homeless Report for September 2022 shows that 10,975 individuals were accessing emergency accommodation in the count week of 19th to 25th September, an increase of 170 (1.6%) on the August 2022 total. There were 7,633 adults and 1,532 families accessing emergency accommodation in the month, including 3,342 children (under-18).
The report shows that during Q3 2022, a total of 1,343 adults, and their dependants, exited, or were prevented from entering emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy being created. This represents an increase of 10.9% on Quarter 2 2022.
The Quarterly Progress report also shows the number of new families presenting to homeless services and the numbers entering and exiting emergency accommodation on a national basis. Quarter 3 shows a 7.6% increase in the number of families presenting when compared to Quarter 2 (from 654 to 704). The number of new families entering emergency accommodation increased when compared to Quarter 2 by 2.7% (from 402 to 413).
In the Dublin region, family presentations were down 8.9% on the corresponding period in 2021 (from 395 to 360). Of the families presenting, 38.9% of these families were prevented from having to enter emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy having been created. 96 families exited emergency accommodation into a tenancy in the quarter, a 13.5% decrease on the 111 families who exited homelessness in the Dublin region in Q3 2021.
The Quarterly Report also shows that almost half of both single and family households accessing emergency accommodation on the last night of the quarter have been in emergency accommodation for less than 6 months (2,492 of 5,030 single households and 742 of 1,561 family households respectively).
The report also shows progress in implementing the Housing First National Implementation Plan 2022-2026, a key response to ending long-term homelessness among those with complex health and mental health needs. The Housing First Programme provides the most vulnerable of our homeless population with a home for life as well as with key wraparound health and social supports.
A total of 53 new supported tenancies commenced in Q3 2022. Through the programme, there are 764 high-support need individuals, who were formerly rough sleepers or long-term users of emergency accommodation, housed and supported in their own homes.
Commenting on the reports published today, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, said:
“We are seeing a continued increase in the numbers of people accessing emergency accommodation and the situation is very challenging. The government, local authorities and those in our NGO sectors are making every effort to reduce homelessness. Resources and funding are not an obstacle to the urgent efforts required. To actively address this, Budget 2023 provided funding of over €215 million, an increase of 10% on last year, for the delivery of homeless services. This will ensure that local authorities can not only provide emergency accommodation but importantly homeless prevention measures. It will also ensure they can support households to successfully exit homelessness into secure tenancies.
“Fully aware of the risks of homelessness faced by renters this coming winter, the government has just legislated to protect renters who are facing homelessness by deferring any ‘no fault’ tenancy terminations from taking place this winter. While this emergency measure is necessary and will provide assistance in the short-term, the long-term answer to our accommodation challenges, including combating homelessness, remains an increased and sustainable supply of new housing.
“Increasing social housing and residential housing supply is key. A total of €4.5 billion in State investment has been allocated for 2023 to increase housing supply. We are providing more social homes, completing more homes in general and we have a strong pipeline of housing supply. Almost 28,000 new homes were completed in the 12 months to the end of last month, the highest rolling 12-month total of any comparable period since comparable data were first published in 2011. This supply activity, as well as targeted measures specifically centred on homelessness, will allow us to combat homelessness.
“In addition to our focus on increasing supply, I have introduced a number of measures to help those at risk of homelessness. These include the recent changes to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, to increase the HAP discretion rate to 35% and to expand the couple’s rate to single persons. This will secure and expand more tenancies and prevent new entries to homelessness. We have also legislated to increase the Notice to Quit period for ‘no fault’ evictions. The minimum amount of notice a landlord must give a tenant with a tenancy of less than three years duration before evicting them has now been increased from 28 days to three months. I have also made it very clear to Local Authorities that where there is a risk of a tenant(s) being evicted into homelessness as a result of a landlord selling the home that the Local Authority will be supported by the department to purchase the home should that be appropriate.”
The Minister reiterated his commitment to working towards eradicating homelessness by 2030. He said:
“The National Homeless Action Committee, which I chair, continues to meet regularly. Joined-up policy and action is key to the delivery of homeless actions, including those under the government’s Housing for All plan.
“A number of measures have been identified and are now being advanced. The forthcoming Youth Homelessness Strategy, which we will publish in the coming weeks, will outline the causes of youth homelessness and what actions are required to help young people who are aged 18 – 24 and who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.”
The Quarterly Progress Report is prepared by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level.
Under Housing for All, the government’s national housing plan to 2030, the government is committed to providing 47,600 new-build social homes by the end of 2026, and 90,000 social homes by 2030. In terms of social housing delivery: