COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Tuesday, May 07, 2019

MOTION NO. 4

MOTION: Councillor M. Murphy

This Council acknowledges the many well documented difficulties of Families with Children living in Homeless Hubs. By extension, this Council acknowledges the well documented difficulties of trying to rear children in such close quarters with the stigma of Homelessness attached is very much amplified for larger families. Therefore this Council strives to urgently move people on to more secure housing with a particular emphasis and urgency on re-locating larger families into secure accommodation.  

REPORT:

It is acknowledged that family hubs are not a long-term solution for families but they are an important response for families who become homeless and have no alternative other than self-accommodating because they provide more stable and appropriate accommodation that includes play space, cooking & laundry facilities and communal recreation space.  This relative stability allows families to pursue longer term accommodation through HAP supported private rented accommodation or social housing tenancies with the assistance of on-site key workers and the Council's place finder team.

There are a number of large families in homeless accommodation that have a four bedroom (or greater) housing need.  In addition to the acknowledged challenges facing these families as outlined in the Motion, they are also encountering difficulty in securing HAP properties due to the relative lack of suitable properties, difficulties with landlords accepting large families and, in some cases, deciding to await social housing allocation rather than avail of HAP.  It must be stated that the fastest exit from homelessness is through private rented accommodation supported through HAP and the extra resources provided to the place finder team are prioritising working with these families to securing HAP properties.  All homeless families also have access to Choice Based Letting which offers the best opportunity to attain a social housing allocation.  In addition, the Council is actively trying to source additional appropriate 4-bed accommodation through Part V, turnkey, acquisition etc.  Following assessment of the family size and composition, a small number of these families may be suitable for larger three-bed homes and we will work with them on the possibility of allocating or securing HAP three-bed properties.