There were no properties available to rent at standard HAP rates last month, a worrying new report has found.
The Simon Communities of Ireland’s Locked Out of the Market report from September lays bare the deepening housing crisis with just 35 HAP properties were available to rent by people relying on the scheme. All of those properties fell within discretionary limits of 50% above the standard rate in Dublin and 35% elsewhere in the country.
This is the lowest number of HAP properties ever recorded by the quarterly report and the first time there were no homes to rent within the standard rate. The Simon Communities' Head of Policy and Communications, Wayne Stanley, has called for a moratorium on evictions this winter on the back of the report's findings.
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He said: “If you break down the 35 properties available, if local authorities apply the maximum discretions available to them and put it in the context of the housing and homelessness crisis, in reality no properties are available to those trying to access privately rented homes to exit or avoid homelessness. In this context, the moratorium on evictions being considered by Government at the moment, is an imperative."
The report found just 392 properties to rent at any price within 16 study areas over three dates surveyed - the lowest number ever recorded in the study and a 40% decrease compared to June 2022 and a 61.5% drop compared to September 2021. The 35 properties available under discretionary HAP limits is two less than June 2022 and a whopping 81.7% drop compared to the 192 for rent last September.
The majority of the available HAP homes were found in Dublin with 23 across Dublin City Centre, Dublin City North and Dublin City South). Outside of the capital, nine of the 16 study areas had no properties available to rent in any household category within standard or discretionary HAP limits.
The Cabinet are considering introducing a ban on evictions from December until March next year, reports the Irish Examiner. Mr Stanley urged the Government to take action to increase housing supply while the ban is in place.
He said: "While a moratorium is in place, we would call on the Government to take action on vacancy, bring in the provisions of the Simon Homeless Prevention Bill, ramp up the tenants in situ purchase scheme, and proactively engage with landlords leaving the market, to see what can be done to retain the current private rented stock. The Simon Communities have been calling for action on the 166,000 vacant homes throughout the country.
"With increased funding and targeted action, we believe it is possible to bring in substantial numbers of vacant homes through a reformed Repair and Lease scheme over the next 12 months. This could help to reduce our reliance on the private rental system and keep vulnerable households out of homelessness."
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