+-COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 14, 2020

QUESTION NO. 35

QUESTION: Councillor Joanna Tuffy

To ask how many applicants for housing, and how many on the homeless list, were accommodated in Council or HAP accommodation over the past 5 months approximately, while Covid restrictions in place, and how did this compare with previous months and years

REPLY:

The table below shows the number of allocations to Council and AHB properties from the Council's housing and homeless lists along with the number of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and Homeless HAP tenancies supported during the Covid restrictions in recent months (March to August 2020). 

	Mar-Aug 2020	Mar-Aug 2019
Allocations from Housing List	128	174
Allocations from Homeless List	81	98
HAP Tenancies	202	127
	Mar-Jul 2020	Mar-Jul 2019
Homeless HAP Tenancies*	210	251

*Data for Homeless HAP tenancies (i.e. HAP tenancies at the increased rate due to homelessness or a risk of becoming homeless) in the County is managed by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive on behalf of the Council and the final figures for August 2020 were awaited as this reply was being prepared so the comparative figures for Homeless HAP tenancies is for the period March to July.

Allocations of properties continued during the Covid restrictions notwithstanding some initial delays in revising procedures for same in line with the appropriate guidance and requirements.  Some delays were also experienced in completion of new housing projects due to the restrictions which has also impacted somewhat on the number of allocations. 

HAP assessments and applications continued to be managed by staff during the Covid 19 restrictions with every effort made to facilitate applicants doing business remotely, including the acceptance of documents via email, online or through phone technology.