In October, under the housing assistance payment (Hap) scheme, only 33 rental properties from 16 regions across the State were ready for lease, as depicted in Simon Communities of Ireland’s periodic Locked Out of the Market review. The latest report showed a total of 1,119 properties obtainable at any rate in the examined regions over three unique dates in October, marking a 5% drop from June. However, for those dependent on Hap finances, the situation was considerably grimmer, with the count of fitting properties decreasing by 10 – a 23% downturn since June.
There were no properties within the standard or discretionary Hap boundaries available for rent in 12 of the 16 monitored sectors, with severe deficiencies found in cities such as Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford. The study is based on rental properties available on three distinct dates in October in cities and suburbs of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, locations in Co Kildare, Athlone, Sligo town, Dundalk, Co Leitrim, Portlaoise, and the centre of Waterford city.
For a household to qualify for Hap, it must be eligible for social housing and have incomes below certain thresholds. Rental limits are set by individual councils, with the maximum limit being €1,250 per month for a couple with two children renting within Dublin City Council’s jurisdiction and €475 in Co Leitrim. For a couple with no children renting in Dublin city and Leitrim, the set limits are €900 and €370 respectively.
Councils have also been authorised to award a discretionary rate of Hap up to 35% more than the standard rate, or up to 50% in Dublin city. The analysis found that only three properties within the standard Hap limits were available across the 16 monitored areas, with just two available for single person or couple households at the standard Hap rate.
There were no homes available for families or single-parent households with just one child using a regular Hap rate, and merely one property was on offer for families or single-parent homes with two children under the same rate. “For those depending on a Hap subsidy, there are scant options for obtaining a house unless you can supplement the payment with additional income,” noted Wayne Stanley, Executive Director of Simon Communities. He pointed out that due to the pressing lack of homes, both families and individuals were being forced to endure extended periods of homelessness. “It’s impossible not to see the ramifications, with the monthly increase in the number of adults and children resorting to emergency homeless shelters. The solutions to these issues are highlighted in the recent Housing Commission report and in our own proposals that we’ve submitted to all political factions to amplify public housing production,” he added.