New measures set to tackle homelessness are welcomed

A RAFT of new measures to help tackle homelessness in Dublin has been welcomed by agencies working in the city.

Ministers Alan Kelly and Paudie Coffey unveiled the plans that were put in place as a result of the recent special summit on homelessness.

The announcements made in the Integrated Hub of Homeless Services in Parkgate Hall in Dublin 8 include the provision of 260 additional emergency beds to be in place by the end of the year.

A Nite Café will also be established to provide a contact point for homeless people who do not want to be placed in emergency accommodation.

It will provide food, a rest area and showers and will facilitate up to 50 people throughout the night, every night of the week.

It commences this week but a full service will be provided from January.
A transport service with Housing First will also be provided with immediate effect to bring people to emergency accommodation if required.

The Housing first team has responsibility for engagement and responding to the accommodation and support needs of people sleeping rough in the Dublin region.

A special Homeless Helpline is being reviewed to provide greater efficiency in the delivery of additional beds.

A series of other measures includes the purchase of a hotel under the control of NAMA to provide accommodation and a single assessment centre for homeless families.
This is expected to be up and running by the end of April next year.

And a total of 1,046 vacant properties will be brought back into productive use in the Dublin City Council area with 655 available over the next four to six months, with the remainder being developed in phases up to 2018.

Pat Doyle, CEO of Peter McVerry Trust, said that he welcomed the developments.

“The package of measures confirmed by Minister Kelly will ensure that those in need of assistance will receive it,

? he said.

“It will also mean that the acute pressure on frontline services should be reduced because of the additional resources now being made available.

“The provision of additional vehicle support will mean that the Housing First Street Intake team will have greater capacity to transport people on the street to any available emergency accommodation.

“While the long term aim for the Housing First project is to support rough sleepers to move them directly from the street into their own accommodation, it is important during this crisis and during the winter period that we help as many people as possible to access emergency accommodation.

?

Threshold, the national housing charity, also broadly welcomed the plan.
Bob Jordan, Chief Executive, said the commitment of additional funding for frontline services was particularly welcome.

“Since June of this year, Threshold has managed the Tenancy Protection Service on behalf of the four local authorities in Dublin, and is working in partnership with the Department of Social Protection,

? he said.

“This service is key to ensuring Dublin families at risk of homelessness can remain in their current accommodation and avoid having to access homeless services.

“Over the past five months alone, almost 3,000 people have contacted the service.

“Our staff in the Tenancy Protection Service are inundated with requests for help from families with a real housing need, and are currently working at capacity. The measures included in today’s plan mean we can assign two extra staff members to the service.

“This will allow us to help more families at risk of homelessness,

? he added.

“It will also allow us to devote more time to each client to work in a really in-depth way to resolve their future housing needs.

?