More families being made homeless as landlords sell up

Increasing numbers of families are becoming homeless as their landlords are having to sell up, the homelessness charity Focus Ireland has warned. This is becoming as great an issue as unaffordable rents, says the charity, and requires a response from the Government.

It comes as the number of homeless children in Dublin exceeds 2,000 for the first time since current records began.

Figures published over the weekend show, in the week of July 25th to 31st there were 2,020 children in 993 families in emergency accommodation in the capital. This compares with 1,894 in 939 families the previous month. They represent a 71 per cent increase in the number of homeless children since July 2015, when there were 1,185 in 556 families.

Director of advocacy with Focus Ireland Mike Allen said 97 families had become homeless in Dublin last month alone. "It is highly concerning that nearly 100 more families became homeless in Dublin. This is sadly one of the highest number of families who have become homeless in one single month.

“There are indications that an increasing number of families are becoming homeless because their landlord is selling up or being forced to . . . The fact that there is no immediate response in the [Government’s] action plan for housing to this growing factor is of grave concern.”

Mr Allen added that the fact that an increasing number of families were losing their homes in the private rented sector, despite such measures as increases in the rent supplement rates, underlined the need to “widen” the range of responses planned by the Government. “There is real concern that we have a broad framework rather than a detailed plan of action, particularly for families”.

The only measure apparently on offer to homeless families is an increased supply of rapid-build housing, he said.

Rapid-build housing

The Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, published last month by Minister for Housing Simon Coveney, gives a commitment to treble the delivery of rapid-build housing, from 500 to 1,500 by the end of 2018. Two hundred would be delivered this year (of which 22 have so far) with 800 next year and 500 in 2018. More supports to families in emergency accommodation are also promised, including free transport and access to nutritious meals.

The Dublin Simon Community said the figures highlighted the "urgent need for the implementation" of the Government's action plan on housing, The Peter McVerry Trust called on the Government to "urgently bring forward legislation to link the cost of renting to the Consumer Price Index".