No properties available under HAP in Cork city in June

A set of house keys rests on a table. Picture: Stock

Only 50 properties were available to rent within a discretionary rate of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme in June.

The latest Locked Out of the Market report from the Simon community was published on Sunday morning,

The report is carried out on a quarterly basis and analysies the various rental properties available at a number of locations.

Today's report showed that 934 apartments and houses were available in the 16 chosen areas in June by Simon.

That is an increase of 39% in the number of properties for rent compared to the last report from March of this year (672).

However, of those 934 properties, only 50 were available within standard or discretionary HAP rates.

74% (671) of properties available to rent at any price, were located within the three Dublin areas studied. 

Portlaoise again had the lowest number of homes available to rent with just three properties available over the three days. 

Sligo had two properties available during the study period. 

Nine of the 16 areas had no HAP properties available to rent in any household category within standard or discretionary limits. 

These were:

• Athlone, 
• Cork City Centre, 
• Galway City Centre, 
• Co. Leitrim, 
• Limerick City Suburbs, 
• Limerick City Centre, 
• Sligo Town, 
• Portlaoise, 
• Waterford city

Five of the 16 study areas experienced a decrease in the availability of properties to rent. 

These were Athlone, Galway City Suburbs, Kildare, Sligo Town and Portlaoise.

Wayne Stanley, Executive Director at the Simon Communities of Ireland, commented: "The Simon Communities produce this snapshot to provide an insight into the private rental market from the perspective of those on low incomes trying to exit or avoid homelessness. 

While this snapshot does show some improvement in availability, the findings are a stark reminder of the disheartening difficulty that those experiencing homelessness face as they seek a way out of homelessness through the private rental market.

"This Locked Out of the Market report found 50 properties available within HAP rates across the 16 areas, if local authorities give the maximum level of support. 

"While this is an increase of 31 properties on the previous quarter, the proportion of HAP properties in relation to the general market remains very low. Just 5.4% of all properties available to rent examined in this study, are available within a HAP rate. 

"For comparison, in 2021, on average, 27% of all properties examined in the Locked Out of the Market series were available within a HAP rate.”

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