Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 July 2018
344. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of persons who have received the HAP, both homeless HAP and regular HAP, since its inception; and the number of those who have subsequently presented again as homeless to their local authorities when their HAP tenancies expired. [29521/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) provides fast, flexible housing support to households in an area of their choice. HAP supported tenancies are agreed between the landlord and the tenant; the local authority is not a party to the tenancy and has no role in its agreement. There is no limitation placed by the scheme on the length of tenancy that can be supported by HAP. However, as with other private rental tenancies, the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as amended) governs the relationship between landlord and tenant and the length of the tenancy is a matter that must be agreed between the landlord and tenant in that context.
The Homeless HAP Place Finder Service operating in the Dublin local authorities, and in Cork City Council, is a targeted support for homeless households who are finding it difficult to secure HAP tenancies. The Place Finder Service has been successfully utilised by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE) across the Dublin local authorities since February 2015, with more than 3,000 households currently being supported by the Homeless HAP scheme. A similar service began operating in Cork City in 2017.
In order to further assist homeless households in exiting emergency accommodation, since January 2018, the Homeless HAP Place Finder Service has been made available in each of the 31 local authority areas. All local authorities are now being provided with the options to pay deposits and advance rental payments for any households in emergency homeless accommodation, in order to secure accommodation via the HAP scheme.
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.
Since the inception of HAP in 2014, more than 45,200 households have been supported including over 3,000 homeless households who received additional supports through the Homeless HAP Scheme. A breakdown of the number of households supported by HAP in each local authority area at the end of Quarter 4 2017 is available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision.
At the end of Q1 2018 a total of 5,938 households were reported as having exited HAP, this included tenant led exits; compliance exits; transfers to other forms of social housing and landlord exits. This report is based on cessations as submitted by local authorities. Reasons for cessations are typically provided by the tenant and/or landlord.
In cases where a HAP supported tenancy comes to an end, the tenant can find alternative accommodation and retain their eligibility for HAP support or the local authority may decide to offer another form of social housing support to the tenant in accordance with their scheme of letting priorities. My Department does not have details of such activity.
I continue to keep the operation of HAP under review but I am currently satisfied with how the scheme is operating and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting current housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme set out in Rebuilding Ireland.
