THE GOVERNMENT is planning to lease out hundreds of houses around the State for long-term use by homeless people as part of a drive to reduce the numbers in emergency shelters and BBs.
It is expected to announce plans later today to lease about 300 houses for up to 600 homeless people who are currently in emergency accommodation.
Officials hope that with appropriate support, significant numbers will be capable of living independently in mainstream accommodation and moving out of homelessness.
There are an estimated 3,000 people living in some form of emergency accommodation, the majority of whom are based in the capital. The Government hopes to expand the use of private accommodation for homeless people next year.
Minister of State for housing Michael Finneran told The Irish Timesthat the Government was determined to meet targets contained in its four-year homeless strategy of ensuring people are not forced to stay in emergency accommodation for longer than six months.
“We have homeless people in BBs and emergency accommodation for anything up to eight years, which is totally unacceptable,” Mr Finneran said.
“They have no quality of life and no certainty. Long-term accommodation helps people to get back up on their own two feet and there will be support available for those who need it.”
The leases will be taken out for a minimum of four years and various forms of support will be available to tenants for up to three years.
Housing authorities will enter into contractual arrangements based on open competitive tendering with non-governmental organisations or private firms for the delivery of accommodation and support.
The scheme will be funded through savings on emergency accommodation.
Officials say it will be for these “contracting bodies” to obtain the most competitive terms possible in procuring accommodation.
Mr Finneran said he hoped a further 300 houses at least would be sourced for homeless people next year, subject to funding.
While the new initiative will be welcomed by homeless organisations, some are concerned that funding for emergency accommodation will be cut back too quickly.
Some homeless organisations say they have been turning people away from emergency shelters because they cannot cope with the demand. The Simon Community in Cork, for example, says it has turned hundreds away in recent months.
Despite Government cutbacks, the total spend on homeless services will increase this year by about 5 per cent.