Covid measures may have helped homeless into long-term homes, says charity

David Carroll, CEO of Depaul, said even the reduction in the use of properties for Air BnB may have been a contributory factor in the rise of homeless people moving into suitable homes. File photo

The number of people accessing homeless services from Depaul who were then moved on to suitable homes jumped 40% last year - with the charity saying measures introduced to deal with the Covid pandemic may have been a factor.

In total, Depaul supported 3,542 men, women and children across Ireland in 2020, while 410 families came through its services.

Working closely with the HSE and other partners, it also added five additional services and provided 240 extra beds in its shielding units for the most medically at-risk within the homeless population, meaning that at one stage in the pandemic last year it was responsible for 67% of those shielding.

While the overall figures were in line with those in previous years, Depaul helped 554 people move on from services to find a suitable home - a 40% annual increase. Many of those people moved into private rental accommodation and David Carroll, CEO of Depaul, said the impact of the pandemic may have been a factor.

"As an organisation we have really developed over the last number of years to provide additional investment into making sure that people have that opportunity [to move on]," Mr Carroll said.

"There were HAP properties available and I'm not sure if that was due to changes in the rental market due to the Covid perspective, so there was definitely more HAP properties available."

He said even the reduction in the use of properties for Air BnB may have been a contributory factor, alongside a greater willingness from younger service users to move on and into the private rented route.

Mr Carroll said it was important that the measures introduced due to the pandemic and their impact be carefully analysed and that the National Homeless Action Committee announced under the government's Housing for All plan, carefully monitor trends in the rental market, particularly growth in rental rates outside Dublin.

While 772 children facing homelessness were helped by Depaul last year and eight babies were born in its services, single adult homelessness is still the most acute issue and Mr Carroll said those with complex needs, including health issues, needed greater resources and protection, as outlined by the success of shielding last year.

Of the 240 beds supported by Depaul in 2020, at one point 15% of the people filling them had a cancer diagnosis, he said.

Depaul worked with the HSE on a nursing in-reach programme last year while shielding offered secure, en-suite accommodation to many people with serious health difficulties. 

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Mr Carroll said the Housing for All pledge that such health-orientated initiatives, including for those with long-term drug addiction, would continue was to be welcomed, but he said funding needed to be guaranteed.

"Last year showed that health has a key part in ending homelessness and the whole move towards health inclusion for homeless people that has been established, including Depaul in last couple of years, has really come to the forefront."

Depaul also provides in-reach support to people living in direct provision accommodation, with Cosán Nua working with 455 adults and 339 children last year and 246 adults and 196 children moving into communities across Ireland.

Depaul Housing also became an Approved Housing Body during 2020, housing five service-users in long-term accommodation by the year's end.