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The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has today (29 July 2022) published the Monthly Homeless Report for June 2022 and the Homeless Quarterly Progress Report for Quarter 2 2022.
The Monthly Homeless Report for June 2022 shows that 10,492 individuals were accessing emergency accommodation, an increase of 167 (1.6%) on the May 2022 total. There were 7,421 homeless adults recorded in June. 1,385 families were recorded as homeless, including 3,071 children (under-18). The continued increases are a serious cause for concern for the government.
The report shows that during Q2 2022, a total of 1,211 adults and their dependants exited, or were prevented from entering emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy being created. This represents a decrease of 1% on Quarter 1 2022. 2,439 adults exited or were prevented from entering emergency accommodation up to the end Q2 2022, a decrease of 11% on the corresponding period in 2021.
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 2 shows a 10% decrease in the number of families presenting when compared to Quarter 1 (from 728 to 654). The report also shows that the number of new families entering emergency accommodation has fallen when compared to Quarter 1 by almost 14% (from 466 to 402).
In the Dublin region, family presentations were down 22% on the corresponding period in 2021 (from 443 to 346). Of the families presenting, 38% of these families were prevented from having to enter emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy having been created. 97 families exited emergency accommodation into a tenancy in the quarter, a 56% decrease on the 220 families who exited homelessness in the Dublin region in Q2 2021.
The Quarterly Report also shows that the majority 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 (2,604 of 5,035 single households and 713 of 1,382 family households respectively).
The report also shows progress on the new 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 51 new supported tenancies commenced in Q2 2022. Through the programme, there are 737 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 details contained in the reports published today, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, said:
“The continuing increase in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation is a serious concern. The government, local authorities and those in our NGO sectors are making every effort to reduce homelessness. Key to this is the delivery of new social housing and boosting overall supply.
“The government is investing significantly in social and affordable housing, with a record €4 billion allocated for current and capital investment in housing this year alone. Funding is in place to deliver 10,500 social homes, including 9,000 new build homes, building on the progress made last year when 9,183 new social homes were provided, a 17% increase on 2020.
“Increasing overall housing supply across tenures (social, affordable, private rental and private ownership) is critical to preventing homelessness. We are providing more social homes, completing more homes in general and we have a strong pipeline of housing supply. To the end of June, just under 25,000 new homes were completed in 12 months, with a record number of completions in Quarter 2 this year compared to any quarter since 2011. Commencement Notices for almost 30,000 new homes were received. This supply activity, as well as targeted measures specifically centred on homelessness, will allow us to meet the challenge of eradicating homelessness by 2030.
“Among the recent measures I have introduced to help those at risk of homelessness are 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.”
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:
In terms of overall housing supply, the government, through Housing for All, targets 24,600 homes being built this year. To the end of June this year, just under 25,000 new homes were completed, the highest rolling 12-month average over the past decade
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 I aim to publish in September, 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.
Children have been clearly enumerated in the monthly homeless statistics since July 2021 so comparisons with previously published data must be qualified, given that they are not directly comparable.
The government continues to ensure vacant social housing units are brought back into use as quickly as possible through the voids programme. Investment of over €90 million since the start of 2020 has brought some 6,000 units back into use. Further significant funding is being provided this year. The return to use of vacant local authority will be allocated to those on social housing waiting lists, including those currently in emergency accommodation.
The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q4 2021, over 100,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced. More than 61,900 households are actively in receipt of HAP support and over 33,000 separate landlords and agents provide accommodation to households supported by the scheme. The HAP scheme continues to be an effective and secure forms of social housing support and remains a part of the suite of social housing options currently available across the country.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage also funds Threshold’s National Tenancy Protection Service, which is instrumental in preventing homelessness in the first instance and supporting people to remain in their homes.
