housing report
Homelessness: Increasing budgets and decreasing numbers Homeless charities have welcomed the increased budget for homelessness services included in Budget 2021, while other charities have voiced hope that the Covid-19 crisis will be a turning point for homelessness in Ireland.
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Overall, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage was allocated a budget of €5.169 billion under Budget 2021. Most notable in the breakdown of these figures in the context of the fight against homelessness is the figure of €218 million pledged to “ensure those experiencing homelessness are supported and helped to successfully exit homelessness”. This is a significant rise on the €166 million that was pledged in Budget 2020, and the Government is predicting 6,000 “exits from homelessness” in 2021 as a result of this funding.
and the highest investment in housing in the history of the State. The Budget contains within it plans for the deliverance of 28,500 additional social housing units in 2021, with 12,750 new homes to be “added to the available supply of social housing through build, acquisition and long-term leasing” and support for local authorities and approved housing bodies through the Land Development Agency in order to deliver 9,500 social housing new builds. €110 million for a new Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme for first-time buyers and a new cost rental model have also been pledged.
Significant in the Budget in terms of housing people is the large increase in housing spend. €3.3 billion is allocated for spending in housing, a 24 per cent increase on the 2020 level of funding
The Budget was welcomed by the Peter McVerry Trust, whose CEO Pat Doyle said that the “sizeable programme of capital investment” had answered calls “for a more ambitious
and enlarged social housing programme”. Doyle said: “We warmly welcome Budget 2021. It delivers major investment in several key areas such as housing, education and health. It will enable local authorities and housing charities to make major progress in providing critical housing pathways to people in homelessness and on social housing waiting lists. We welcome the increase in funds for key homeless services such as cold weather supports, day services, and emergency accommodation for people impacted by homelessness.” The expansion of the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme to 85,000 tenancies in 2021 was also welcomed by Doyle, who said it would “enable people to exit homelessness through the private rental sector”. The latest homeless figures released
