‘Chronic supply shortage’ of affordable housing outside Dublin, warns homeless charity

THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING is “critically low” across the country, warned a leading homeless charity.

A new study by Simon Communities shows that only 738 of the more than 2,500 homes to rent for three days in September were affordable to people on the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) plan, a social housing support paid for by the town halls to the owners.

The report also finds that the vast majority of affordable housing was in Dublin, with a warning about a “chronic lack of supply” of affordable places to live beyond the capital city.

More than 90% of all properties that would meet the HAP criteria were in Dublin, according to the report.

The latest homeless statistics show 8,656 people were in emergency shelter in September, a decrease of 46 from August figures.

“It is incredibly difficult, especially for single people, to switch from emergency shelter and homeless services when looking for HAP shelter, because too often there is nowhere else to go,” said Wayne Stanley, national spokesman for Simon Communities.

“Due to the Covid-19 crisis, the rate of construction of social housing has slowed significantly with only 35% of the total delivery expected this year. Currently, this is not at the level required to address the number of people in emergency shelter or on the housing waiting list.

“For a long-term sustainable solution, there must be a significant and sustained increase in the supply of affordable and social housing in all types of tenure across the country,” he said.

Athlone, Cork City, and Galway City were among the areas where there were no properties available to rent for people in need of HAP payments.

The report warns that singles and couples are disproportionately affected by this imbalance in affordable housing.

Stanley called for a review of the “discretion available to local authorities in HAP rates.”