Five are found sleeping rough in city survey

Study gives ‘snapshot’ of the problem

A SURVEY of rough sleepers in Belfast has found five people spending the night on the streets.

The exercise, described as a “snapshot”, was carried out on November 30 between 2.30am and 5am by the Housing Executive and homeless charity the Welcome Organisation along with Queens Quarter Housing, Homeplus, Simon Community and the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust.

The Welcome Organisation said that despite the numbers being relatively low, there is “no room for complacency”. They added that in 2016, the count established there were 11 people “on the streets/sleeping rough”.

Anne Sweeney, assistant director of the Housing Executive’s Strategic Partnerships, said the count “highlights the difference in perceptions of homelessness and rough sleepers”.

She added: “All of the five people we encountered were known to the services. Two of them have their own homes, another had hostel accommodation and the other two declined any housing help.

“In recent years there has been an increasing visibility of people sleeping The provision of day-time and nighttime street outreach services

A day centre that can provide support services for up to 100 vulnerable people The provision of 26 crash beds and a rough in Belfast city centre streets and beyond. We, like many others, have been concerned about this trend. Whilst it is important to measure this on a regular basis, our priority is to make sure these individuals are receiving the help and shelter they need.”

Jo Daykin-goodall, director of services at The Welcome Organisation, said: “It is important to stress that there is no room for complacency – no one should night-time reception service

A wet hostel for up to 23 people 70 units of intensively managed emergency accommodation

11 direct access hostels

10 hostels of family accommodation with 237 units, and

382 private let properties be spending the night on the street and we will continue to work closely with the Housing Executive and other agencies to ensure that the numbers remain low and continue to decrease.”

The Housing Executive said they currently provide £13.7million to homeless services in Belfast which funds in excess of 900 temporary accommodation units and a range of support services.

HOUSING EXECUTIVE, YESTERDAY

SERVICES that the Housing Executive says it offers or funds within Belfast to tackle homelessness include: CONCERNS Rough sleeper