Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2018
597. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of days to the expiry of a tenancy that a tenant must face to be eligible for the homeless HAP scheme; the rationale for the number of days; and the statutory basis for same. [8194/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAny household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for housing support through the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme. Once a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of social housing support for that household in the administrative area of that local authority. This function also includes determining when it is appropriate to refer a household for Homeless HAP Place Finder services.
The Homeless HAP supports and Place Finder Service have been operational since February 2015, across the four housing authorities in the Dublin Region, and are being implemented through the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE). The focus of the interventions remains the transitioning of qualified households from emergency accommodation, including hotels, into private rented tenancies. To qualify for these specific additional supports available to homeless households, a household must have been determined by the relevant local authority to be homeless within the meaning of section 2 of the Housing Act 1988. The operation of local homeless services, including the Place Finder Service is a matter for each local authority.
