Eliminating homelessness ‘achievable’ with more social housing

HOMELESSNESS can be practically eradicated by the end of this decade if there is a substantial increase in social housing provision for single people, according to support groups.

The Homeless Agency, which launches an action plan today, said problems associated with homelessness are at a manageable point.

“There is no crisis,” insisted the agency’s director Mary Higgins. “Eliminating homelessness is achievable provided we make the right response and that the Government maintains a commitment to prevention.”

At the heart of a new action plan, she said, is an emphasis on increasing the provision of social housing through long-term investment and the short-term purchase or lease of suitable self-contained accommodation from private owners.

However, Fr Peter McVerry is not convinced action plans have adequately dealt with the increasing problem of young people sleeping rough.

“What is currently missing in the emergency sector is appropriate accommodation based on the needs of young homeless people,” he said yesterday.

“Many young people come to me and say they are scared to go into hostels or dormitories where they can come in contact with serious drug users or career criminals. They are scared and I have to say that I would often, in such cases, recommend they sleep rough.”

Fr McVerry, who set up the Arrupe Society more than 20 years ago to care for homeless boys, said: “Progress is being made on homelessness, generally, but I think the problem of young homeless people is getting worse.

“In particular, people from low income circumstances struggling to find a deposit of €500 to €600 or €130 (weekly rent) or more for a flat end up on the streets. Unless they actually become homeless, they are not eligible for Government support.”

The next three-year count of homeless people in Dublin is not due until March 2005 but an estimated 2,900 adults and about 1,200 children remain homeless. The services sector believes the number of rough sleepers has decreased.

There are more than 80 different projects for homeless people in Dublin which is the base for 85% of people homeless or sleeping rough in this country.

Junior minister Noel Ahern will today launch the new action plan, Making it Home, which represents a significant policy change in tackling homelessness. Priorities are geared towards comprehensive and more long-term housing solutions and services away from the current crisis-type and short-term accommodation provision.

Dublin Simon Community’s campaign manager Bob Jordan said elimination of homelessness was not an ambitious target. “It is achievable but certain things must happen, most importantly the need for increased provision of social housing for single homeless people.

“Most social housing stock is not adequate for single people and, if there was on average one house provided daily until 2006 for single people, we could make major inroads into the problem.”