An 18% reduction in homeless figures in the northwest is to be welcomed this month, the North West Simon Community CEO has said.
However, the figure remains 42% higher than last year.
Nationally, homeless figures reached another historic high for June.
Last month, there were 12,600 people, including 3,837 children, in Department of Housing-funded emergency accommodation.
In Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim, there were 139 people registered as homeless.
“A 65% reduction in the number of child dependants in emergency accommodation and an 18% decrease in homelessness overall in a single month is a very welcome development. Government should carefully examine the approaches used successfully by the Local Authorities in the North West region, and quickly replicate them in other parts of the country” says Noel Daly CEO of North West Simon Community.
The Government’s latest Monthly Homelessness Report for the north west recorded 107 homeless households including 13 families, comprising 16 adults and 29 children, and 94 single adults in emergency accommodation.
This number represents a decrease in overall homelessness of 18% month on month when compared with the 170 people homeless in May 2023, but is unfortunately still 42% higher than the number of 98 individuals in emergency accommodation in May 2022.
North West Simon Community
North West Simon Community point out that the Monthly Homeless Reports published by Government relate only to individuals and families provided with emergency accommodation by the Local Authorities. They do not include households frequently described as the “hidden homeless”. People and families sleeping rough, living in cars and tents, sofa surfing, escaping domestic violence in refuges, sharing with parents, family, and friends, and/or living in houses unfit for habitation.
Noel Daly says “the Government’s Report indicates this significant reduction in homelessness was achieved by the Local Authorities proactively targeting 7 families comprising of 9 adults and 19 children, and assisting them to exit homelessness in the course of a single month. If such targeted measures can be replicated for the remaining families and then for single adults currently in emergency accommodation in the North West, it would free up resources for homeless agencies to concentrate on preventing further homelessness from occurring”.
North West Simon Community believes there are potential learnings here that could make a real difference in other areas of the country.
Wayne Stanley Executive Director of Simon Communities of Ireland said: “Our latest Locked Out of the Market report highlights the shortage of options in the private rental system. We’ve seen in recent reports that there are some people willing to exploit the housing crisis and those most vulnerable within that system, in cruel and disgusting ways. So we need to take action to protect people where we can from the trauma of homelessness.
“Making progress on homelessness and ensuring that those affected have a secure affordable home, requires action by all arms of the State. In the short term, it is critical that we see local authority housing allocated in more significant numbers to those in homelessness and HAP levels increased. In the medium term, we have to reduce our reliance on the private rental market overall and delivery of social and affordable homes will have to increase. We also need to see more investment in frontline prevention work. Even in the midst of this crisis, services and local authorities are supporting individuals and families and succeeding in preventing them from experiencing the trauma of homelessness.”
