Lack of accommodation delaying transitions out of homelessness

A lack of long-term accommodation for those ready to transition out of homelessness indicates that national policy is failing to address homelessness, a report by the Daisyhouse Housing Association has found.

The Dublin organisation has published a report which found that difficulties in attaining long-term accommodation meant many service users remained in its transitional housing service for longer than required, therefore blocking others from accessing services.

Of the 34 people who were accommodated with Daisyhouse from 2009 to 2011, half remained in the service for longer than the planned 18 months with almost a quarter accessing services after two years.

The organisation estimated that, as a result, eight people referred to it were unable to access services in the three-year period covered by the report. “This indicates a failure of national policy in addressing homelessness,” the report states.

The Government ceased funding transitional housing services in 2011 with a view to housing people in long-term accommodation as quickly as possible.

However, Daisyhouse said, while this is a “sound proposition, its success depends on a good supply of long-term housing”.

Despite funding being cut to the organisation in 2011 it continues to maintain 12 apartments and three houses with capacity for 14 women.

Orla Gilroy, the chief executive of Daisyhouse, which marks 25 years in operation this year, said transitional housing services were under threat "because their benefits are being overlooked by those implementing national policy on homelessness".

“Transitional housing can provide people with services, without which they would relapse into homelessness at great personal cost to themselves and to the State,” Ms Gilroy said, adding that for many people accessing its services are experiencing “very complex situations” which require longer-term supports.

“Those who are survivors of domestic violence or abuse or have a history of addiction can, as a result, not have the emotional well-being or life skills to maintain a tenancy and avoid slipping back into homelessness. However transitional housing can provide them with the bridge required to bring them back permanently into mainstream society,” Ms Gilroy said.

Yesterday the organisation published a Social Return on Investment Report which analysed the transitional housing project between 2009 and 2011.

The analysis, which was conducted Daisyhouse board member by Gráinne Madden and Gauge, a Belfast-based social enterprise that helps organisations to measure their social impact, estimated that the €490,998 invested in the service between 2009 and 2011 would generate almost €6 million in “social value” over the following five years.