COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 12, 2018

MOTION NO. 9

MOTION: Councillor K. Mahon

This Council does not support statements regarding the "gaming of the system" or "years of bad behaviour" by senior housing officials in the Dublin Regional Housing Executive.

This Council regards hubs and hotels as a short term emergency measure and recognises the work and studies carried out by Focus Ireland and others regarding the negative impact of homelessness, hubs and hotels on the development and mental health of children and adults.

It is our position that HAP does not offer a secure, quality accommodation, or a value for money solution for homelessness.

This Council calls for the issue of  a defined percentage of all available homes for allocation to be reserved for families currently in long term emergency accommodation in hubs, hotels and hostels based on their time in homelessness to be brought back to the Housing SPC to explore if it can be included in the scheme of lettings.

REPORT:

Homelessness continues to be a major challenge facing not only this County but counties nationwide particularly urban areas.

Social housing units available at any given time for allocation are allocated according to the Council's Scheme of Letting Priorities to applicants on the housing or transfer lists or to those applicants with medical or homeless priority.  The Scheme aims to achieve a balance in allocating dwellings between the needs and preferences of applicants, the wellbeing of existing tenants and communities as well as making best use of the Council's social housing stock.

While the Council will continue to allocate housing stock to homeless applicants under the Scheme of Letting Priorities, families and individuals who are presenting as homeless and in emergency accommodation are strongly advised that sourcing properties using the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is the fastest route out of their current homeless situation.  Under HAP, households are required to find their own accommodation in the private rented sector but the difficulties in sourcing suitable private rented accommodation are acknowledged and supports are available through dedicated placement staff to assist this process, including helping families in moving on from emergency accommodation.  In addition, a dedicated Homeless HAP Unit operates in the Dublin Region Homeless Executive to deliver HAP at an enhanced rate to homeless households for appropriate properties and Key Workers/Homeless Action Teams are available to work with those homeless households with higher support needs. 

All homeless applicants can also utilise the Choice Based Letting (CBL) system which could potentially enable them to obtain a tenancy sooner and without waiting for an offer to be made to them under the homeless category.