Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 September 2018
22. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on reports that Dublin City Council approached a company (details supplied) to rent blocks of units for social housing tenants; his further views on whether this development may contribute to rent increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39099/18]
View answerThe Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) is provided by Dublin City Council as the lead statutory local authority in the response to homelessness in Dublin. The DRHE is responsible for the planning, co-ordination and administration of funding in relation to the provision of quality services to people who are homeless in the Dublin area, and for the development of responses to prevent homelessness.
The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, particularly Homeless HAP, is a significant mechanism used by the DRHE to transition qualified households from emergency accommodation into private rented tenancies. The HAP Place Finder service is a targeted support for homeless households who may it difficult to secure HAP tenancies. Between February 2015 and end June 2018, more than 3,600 households were supported by the scheme.
The operation of the DRHE and its engagement with property owners to secure appropriate accommodation is a matter for the local authority in the first instance. As part of its day-to-day operations the DRHE may engage with property owners, such as the one referred to by the Deputy, to establish whether additional units are available which could be used to successfully meet the housing need of many families who would otherwise have to enter or remain in emergency accommodation.
The HAP scheme has specific rent limits for each local authority. The DRHE, in recognition of the difficulty homeless households face in sourcing and securing properties in a highly competitive rental market, have discretion to go 50% above the prescribed rent limits. The statistics show the DRHE do not need to use discretion in all cases, and where that discretion is used, the average rate is 33%.
