Number of rough sleepers and people living in tents in Sligo increasing - Report

THERE has been an increase in the incidence of rough sleeping in Sligo, including persons living in tents, old caravans and sheds, a senior Sligo County Council official has confirmed.

In the quarterly management report made available to members of Sligo County Council at their January meeting, Jim Molloy, Director of Housing and Human Resources, said the current context of the housing crisis has seen a growing number of families and single people entering homelessness and seeking supports from Local Authorities.

“This is due to the acute shortage of private rented housing, the huge increases of rent in this sector and the gap that is growing between private rent levels and HAP cap levels across the region. There is also an increase in the incidence of rough sleeping in Sligo, including persons residing in tents, old caravans and sheds,” he stated in part of his report referencing what SCC is doing in relation to the North West

Regional Homelessness Action Plan 2023-2028.

Specifically on the plan he stated, “Work is ongoing on implementing the Plan based upon annual priorities that are agreed by the NW Joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.”

In another section of Mr Molloy’s quarterly report on housing he confirms there are 1,607 households in Sligo on the housing list as at 31/12/2023. The report adds that 313 valid applications for social housing support were received in 2023.

There were 1,016 (894 houses) Private Rented Accommodation Standards inspections carried out in 2023 by the Council with SCC issuing 429 Improvement Notices to landlords in 2023.

The report notes that in 2023 SCC offered made 177 offers of tenancy, 141 of those offers were accepted while 36 were refused.

Further details in relation to housing and the complete quarterly report are available on the Council’s website.