23rd July 2023
June Locked Out of the Market Report Finds 39% Increase in Number of HAP Properties Available
50 HAP Properties Available Across 16 Areas
The Simon Communities of Ireland’s quarterly Locked Out of the Market report, from June 2023, shows 50 properties were available to rent within a discretionary rate of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme.
The report found 934 properties were available to rent at any price within the 16 areas over the three dates surveyed (in June). This represents a 39% (262 properties) increase from the 672 properties that were available in the March 2023 Locked Out report.
74% (671) of properties available to rent at any price, were located within the three Dublin areas studied. Portlaoise again had the lowest number of homes available to rent with just three properties available over the three days. Sligo had two properties available during the study period. Five of the 16 study areas experienced a decrease in the availability of properties to rent. These were Athlone, Galway City Suburbs, Kildare, Sligo Town and Portlaoise.
Wayne Stanley, Executive Director at the Simon Communities of Ireland, said:
“The Simon Communities produce this snapshot to provide an insight into the private rental market from the perspective of those on low incomes trying to exit or avoid homelessness. While this snapshot does show some improvement in availability, the findings are a stark reminder of the disheartening difficulty that those experiencing homelessness face as they seek a way out of homelessness through the private rental market.
This Locked Out of the Market report found 50 properties available within HAP rates across the 16 areas, if local authorities give the maximum level of support. While this is an increase of 31 properties on the previous quarter, the proportion of HAP properties in relation to the general market remains very low. Just 5.4% of all properties available to rent examined in this study, are available within a HAP rate. For comparison, in 2021, on average, 27% of all properties examined in the Locked Out of the Market series were available within a HAP rate.”
As seen in many recent Locked Out of the Market reports, the supply of properties within HAP limits are predominantly available in Dublin; 37 (74%) of the total 50 HAP properties were found in the three Dublin areas examined. Dublin has a discretionary HAP rate of 50% compared to 35% for the rest of the country.
Nine of the 16 areas had no HAP properties available to rent in any household category within standard or discretionary limits. These were Athlone, Cork City Centre, Galway City Centre, Co. Leitrim, Limerick City Suburbs, Limerick City Centre, Sligo Town, Portlaoise, and Waterford city.
Single person households received an increased HAP rate to match what was available to couples in June 2022. The report found 16 properties within discretionary HAP rates for both single people and couples. The majority of these were located in Dublin.
21 properties were available within the discretionary HAP rate for families with one child. These, plus an additional 12 were available for families with two children under a discretionary HAP rate. The majority of HAP properties for families were again located in Dublin.
Single person households received an increased HAP rate to match what was available to couples in June 2022. The report found eight properties within discretionary HAP rates for both single people and couples.
14 properties were available within the discretionary HAP rate for families with one child. These, plus an additional seven were available for families with two children under a discretionary HAP rate.
Locked Out of the Market Full Report
Locked Out Executive Summary
For media enquiries contact:
Aileen Gaskin
P: 087 7724 717
E: communications@simoncommunity.com
