NUMBER OF HOMELESS FAMILIES MORE THAN DOUBLED IN TWO

NEW figures show that the number of families experiencing homelessness in Wicklow has more than doubled over the past two years.

Last week Jackie Carroll from Wicklow County Council outlined the draft Mid East Region Homeless Action Plan for the next three years. Over the course of the plan, Wicklow will be working alongside Kildare and Meath to help combat homelessness.

She said that the plan includes the following objectives: the prevention of homelessness; the reduction of homelessness in its extent or duration; the provision of services, including accommodation, to address the needs of homeless households; the provision of assistance under Section 10(b)(i), as necessary, to persons who were formerly homeless; the promotion of effective co-ordination of activities proposed.

Ms Carroll said that ‘ housing supply is critical to dealing with homelessness’ adding that a key priority of ‘Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness’ is to accelerate and expand the delivery across all tenures, including social housing.

She went on to say that a person is considered homeless by the council if: there is no accommodation available which, in the opinion of the authority, he/she, together with any other person who normally resides with him or who might reasonably be expected to reside with him, can reasonably occupy or remain in occupation of or, (b) he is living in a hospital, county home, night shelter or other such institution, and is so living because he has no accommodation and he is, in the opinion of the authority, unable to provide accommodation from his own resources.

She said that, as lead authority, Kildare has the ultimate responsibility for finalising the region’s budget, adding that the costs associated with providing homeless services across the region was rising year on year.

She said that in 2014 it was €1,248,848, increasing to €2,151,820 in 2015 and to €3,069,044 in 2016.

Ms Carroll said: ‘ The Mid East Region falls within the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) and, as a result, is uniquely affected by pressures on housing supply and exacerbated rent pressures due to its proximity to Dublin and being within the immediate commuter belt zone of the capital.

‘Market value of residential property in recent years has increased across the region, which has in turn prompted landlords and banks/receivers to sell housing units, which has reduced the supply of rental accommodation. This has resulted in many tenants being unable to secure alternative private rented accommodation and becoming homeless as a consequence.’

In respect of Wicklow, Ms Carroll said that the council employs a Homeless Outreach Worker to provide advice and support to the increasing number of individuals and families presenting as homeless.

A Simon Community support work- er is also based in Wicklow County Council and assists with the ongoing work around prevention, settlement and outreach. There are a number of organisations providing homeless supports and services in Co Wicklow, located entirely on the eastern side of the county, with a concentration of services in the main population base, Bray.

Demand for homeless services places severe strain on the resources of the Housing Department. Rising rents and lack of private rented accommodation options throughout the county has resulted in an increasing number of people seeking support from the council’s homeless services.

Ms Carroll explained that Wicklow County Council, in partnership with the Dublin Simon Community, has developed a supported accommodation facility in Wicklow town for people experiencing homelessness, which accommodates ten individuals. Two further council owned properties in Bray, in partnership with Dublin Simon Community, and one in Arklow, with Tiglin, provide low to medium supported accommodation and this successful model is being replicated throughout the county.

In addition, Wicklow Homeless Five Loaves Drop-in Facility in Bray provides a range of daily support services, including the provision of meals, shower and laundry facilities. Education and training opportunities are also provided to people availing of the service as well as the provision of sleeping bags, tents and food supplies.

Ark Housing Association Ltd is a sister charity of Five Loaves and provides a transitional housing programme in Bray. The facility can accommodate up to six people and is open to males aged eighteen and over. A broad range of supports are on offer and the programme links in with addiction, counselling and other related services in the Bray area. Service users must be registered as homeless with the local authority and must also be registered on the social housing list.

Sa Bhaile Homeless Project, Bray, works intensively with people experiencing homelessness, including securing properties for those who are homeless or at risk if homelessness. A part-time Project Co-ordinator is employed to provide supports in relation to counselling/addiction/supported living/tenancy sustainment etc. This project is part funded by Wicklow County Council.

Crisis accommodation is provided by Bray Women’s Refuge and Sonas Refuge, Wicklow town for women and children escaping domestic violence. Both refuges provide support and relevant information to women accessing its service as well as delivering external outreach programmes.

According to Ms Carroll, it is intended to further enhance the homeless team with the provision of Tenancy Sustainment services. The overall objective of Tenancy Support and Sustainment Services is to provide support to persons or households that are at risk of becoming homeless, to assist them to occupy or continue to occupy their accommodation and progress from homelessness or potential homelessness towards independent sustainable living.

This could involve initial visits to client’s current accommodation or place of detention and will involve home visits by the Tenancy Support and Sustainment Service Project Workers whose role will be to support households and signpost and facilitate access to mainstream services.

Ms Carroll said that in 2014, 218 households in Wicklow presented as homeless along comprising 255 adults and 172 children. In 2015, this increased to 267 households comprising 306 adults and 240 children. The figures for 2016 show this had increased again to 522 households comprising 631 adults and 583 children.

In 2014, the council placed 11 households comprising 16 adults and 25 children in emergency accommodation; in 2015 this had risen to 19 ho9useholds comprising 20 adults and 36 children and in 2016 they placed 15 households comprising 20 adults and 31 children in emergency accommodation.

She said that some of the reasons which resulted in people being placed in emergency accommodation included: Failure to obtain accommodation following Notice to Quit; substance misuse issues; mental health; family