Report reveals the scale of housing crisis in Limerick

ALMOST 800 people were turned away from a homeless charity’s temporary accommodation services leaving them in a “precarious” position.

It comes with a declining rental market meaning that Novas’s temporary hostels have more permanent residents than ever before, meaning those using it are unable to move on.

Data revealed in the charity’s report for 2022 shows that in 2018, 320 people were able to use the accommodation it provides in Limerick.

But last year, that number had decreased to 181.

At McGarry House in the city centre, the number of people accessing accommodation had fallen from 206 in 2014 down to just 82 in 2022.

Indeed, the report shows that in this facility, more than half were living there longer than six months.

“Lack of throughput from the service was bound to the lack of one-bed units of accommodation, combined with soaring rents,” Novas revealed. “Many residents have spent years on the social housing waiting list, ready to move out of homeless accommodation and on with their lives.”

The people who had to be turned away from homeless accommodation were those who presented after 9pm, and could not be housed, with the report saying they were, as a result, left in a “precarious position for the night ahead.”

Dr Una Burns, the head of communications at Novas said while on the face of it, it points to a cut in demand, the opposite is actually the case.

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“The reason it’s falling isn’t because of demand. Demand is greater than ever. The reason the figures are dropping in temporary accommodation is due to the length of time people are living there. There’s nowhere for people to go, and they are stuck there,” she explained.

“It’s a perfect storm in many respects, because we have more people than ever looking for services, but because the existing homeless clientele are stuck in emergency accommodation, new presentations cannot access the support they need,” Dr Burns added.

The figures have seen the chief executive of Novas, Una Deasy, call for an urgent supply of one-bedroom units in social housing.

In the private sector, she wants to see protections in place until this happens.

In the Novas annual report - launched at the Savoy Hotel in the city centre - the end of the no-fault eviction ban in April 2023 was cited as a challenge.

“It resulted in more notices to quit, more landlords leaving an already contracting market and more people becoming homeless,” it states.

“In August of this year, we recorded the highest number of homeless children ever in this State.”

In Limerick, Novas teamed up with the local authority to buy 22 properties with the tenants in situ.

“Through these purchases, we ensured that households avoided the trauma of homelessness and displacement and continued to live in their home with a greater sense of security,” the report adds, while acknowledging it’s only a “drop in the ocean” considering the number of evictions which have taken place across Ireland.

Novas worked with almost 1,400 adults and children at its flagship Intensive Family Support Service in St Mary’s Park last year.

The scheme is designed to provide out-of-hours support for people who have found themselves unexpectedly homeless.

Some 840 children in the Mid-West received Christmas presents through this service almost 12 months ago.

Novas also gave information about its new Topple programme, designed to identify the first signs of overdose.

Started in Limerick, it was rolled out nationwide last year.

Nationally, Novas has supported 6,088 people, an increase of 1.8% from the previous year, and a massive 202% over a 10-year period.

It comes against a backdrop of the highest number of homeless people ever recorded across Ireland.