A new report by the Simon Communities of Ireland has revealed that an increase in accommodation in the private rental market isn’t providing answers for many people on Housing Assistant Payment (HAP) seeking to secure a home.
Wayne Stanley, national spokesperson for the Simon Communities of Ireland speaking to the Locked Out study said: ‘the hope that a surplus of AirBnb properties on the rental market will ease the housing and homelessness crisis is not borne out by this report. The findings reflect on the ground experience that it remains difficult for those seeking to exit homelessness to find an affordable home in the private rental market. While there has been an increase in properties available overall it is concentrated in the capital. We have not seen a big upswing in availability in Cork, Galway or Limerick.
The Locked Out Special Report is a comparative study of availability of private rental accommodation within HAP limits across four cities, Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. This snapshot study looks at properties available for rent in a number of urban areas across the country on Monday 2nd March 2020, Wednesday 25th March 2020 and Wednesday 15th April 2020.
Wayne Stanley continued: Just 17 properties were available within HAP limits in Cork, Galway and Limerick. While Dublin looks much healthier with 474 properties available within HAP limits but the vast majority of these required the discretionary higher rate of HAP which allows a 50% increase on the normal rate.
It is clear if we are to address affordability we will need to see an ambitious plan for social housing and a roll out of affordable ‘cost rental’ accommodation by the next government.’
Ends.
Main Findings:
For single people, there were no properties available to rent across the three Dublin regions within standard HAP rates. For couples with two children, there were just 2 properties available across the three Dublin regions within standard HAP limits.
Within either standard or discretionary HAP rates, there were no properties available for singles or couples with no children in;
- Cork City Centre
- Limerick City Centre
- Limerick City Suburbs
For couples with two children, there were no properties available within standard or discretionary HAP rates in;
- Cork City Centre
- Cork City Suburbs
- Galway City Centre
- Limerick City Centre
In terms of affordability, there has been a moderate fall in the median prices of rental properties across Dublin city centre, suggesting better overall affordability on the market in Dublin.
For media queries and interview requests
Emma Allen
Communications
Tel: 085 806 5141
E: communications@simoncommunity.com
About Simon Communities
The Simon Communities support over 16,700 men, women and children. We have 50 years of experience providing homeless, housing and treatment services to people facing the trauma and stress of homelessness. We are a network of independent Communities based in Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, the Midlands, the Mid West, the North West and the South East, responding to local needs and supported by a National Office in the areas of policy, research, communications and best practice. We share common values and ethos in tackling homelessness and, informed by our grassroots services, we campaign for more effective policies and legislation regionally, nationally and at European level. Whatever the issue, Simon’s door is always open for as long as we are needed. For more information, please visit www.simon.ie.
Services include:
- Homelessness prevention, tenancy sustainment and resettlement.
- Street outreach, emergency accommodation and harm reduction.
- Housing with support and Housing First services.
- Homeless specific health and wellbeing services (counselling; addiction treatment and recovery; and mental health supports).
- Personal development, education, training and employment services.
- Food banks, drop-in centres and soup runs.
