COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, December 12, 2011
QUESTION NO. 21
QUESTION: Councillor G. O'Connell
To ask the Manager for an up-to-date report on the implementation of the policy on homelessness in this County, to include the number of people accommodated over the past three months, to include trends in recent and current demand, the ability of this Council to respond, plans for future development of the service and to highlight any issues that may have arisen since the new National Policy on the Provision of services for Homeless People was implemented?
REPLY:
The vision contained in the Dublin Homeless Executive Action Plan 2007-2010 is the ending of long term homelessness and the need to sleep rough in Dublin by the end of 2010. This vision is underpinned by three strategic aims:
-The prevention of homelessness.
-The provision of effective services in each of the four Dublin local authority areas.
-The provision of sufficient long term housing with appropriate supports as required.
In conjunction with the implementation of the Homeless Strategy, "Pathway to Home", from the 17th January 2011 the Homeless Persons Unit which was located in the City Centre and provided an assessment and placement service for the four Dublin Local Authorities on an agency basis was disbanded. From that date on, all who are presenting as homeless call to the relevant local authority for assessment and are placed in emergency accommodation, where appropriate, by that Council. South Dublin County Council has established a Homeless Services Unit to specifically address the needs of persons presenting as homeless from that date.
South Dublin County Council’s Homeless Assessment and Emergency Bed Placement Service provided emergency accommodation to 252 individuals / households during the period August 2011 to October 2011. A centralised bed placement system (PASS) is utilised by the four Dublin Authorities to allocate an emergency bed placement. The Homeless Services Unit also provides for an information; advise and advocacy service for persons presenting as homeless. During the period August 2011 to October 2011 approximately 730 individuals / households availed of this service.
The majority of emergency accommodation available to South Dublin County Council’s homeless service users is located in the City Centre. The Pathway to Home model provides for the establishment of localised Supported Temporary Accommodation (STA). To this end, South Dublin County Council is at an advanced stage of providing such accommodation in partnership with a well established homeless voluntary body.
‘Pathway to Home’ also aims to ensure that emergency accommodation is returned to its original intended use of being a short term support for homeless persons and to this end to move all persons residing in such accommodation into mainstream housing within 6 months. To enable this, South Dublin County Council provides for an emergency bed placement support service (key-working) to assist and advise service users of all move-on options available. This service is carried out in line with the Pathway to Home model of care and case management.
The Department of the Environment,Community and Local Government (DOECLG) has also provided 2 targeted schemes to address the long term housing needs of people progressing from emergency accommodation to independent living. These schemes are known as Support to Live Independently (SLI) and Homeless Rental Accommodation Scheme( RAS) initiative. Both of these schemes envisage the procurement of accommodation largely in the private sector on a long term basis. In the case of SLI accommodation, low to medium support is provided on a reducing basis for a period through a general support service which is provided in partnership with Dublin Simon and Focus Ireland. The RAS option will accommodate those who have little or no support requirements. Tenants allocated housing under the schemes are required to pay a rent based on the Council’s Differential Rent Scheme.The DOECLG has indicated that the funding of the strategy will come from the proceeds of savings on emergency accommodation.
The Council's Scheme of Letting Priorities sets out the criteria for eligibility for housing based on homeless priority. It is not envisaged that these criteria will need to be amended at this time. The receipt of applications for housing accommodation significantly increased in 2011 and in line with current practice those applying for housing on the grounds of homelessness are placed on the Homeless Register for priority housing. As at 30th November 2011, 112 individuals / households were on the Homeless Register.
As well as the response to actual homelessness the Council is in the process of implementing a Homeless Prevention Service in partnership with Focus Ireland / Peter McVerry Trust for persons / households who are currently social housing tenants and who are at risk of losing their tenancies.
Since 1st January 2011, South Dublin County Council has housed 43 homeless applicants (39 in Council Social Housing and 4 with Voluntary Housing Bodies). A further 12 allocations are pending. During this period 62 individuals / households have also been moved from emergency accommodation to private rented accommodation.