Hail housing assists record number of people in 2022

Mental health housing charity Hail assisted a record number of people last year, as the organisation’s chief executive warned about the difficulty in meeting growing demand for services.

A total of 589 people were supported by Hail last year, according to the organisation’s 2022 annual report, published on Monday.

The charity increased its housing stock to 452 by providing an additional 29 new homes last year, and invested a total €879,623 in upgrading fire alarm systems, fit new kitchens and bathrooms and replace doors.

However, Hail chief executive Martina Smith said one of the challenges the charity faces is being able to meet the rising demand for its services.

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“Our demand is really taking from the local authority housing waiting list. If we even look at the social housing summary assessment in 2022, it was over 1,600 households identified as having a mental health disability as the basis for their housing need,” she said.

“The one adult household makes up about 56 per cent of the housing waiting list. Our clients and tenants usually fall into that category as well. We’re always on the lookout for one-bed apartments.”

Ms Smith said demand could grow even more in the next five to 10 years, as a result of the growing mental health crisis among young people. Hail’s clients are primarily those with enduring mental health difficulties such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression.

“A lot of our clients would have come through homelessness, through hostels accommodation, through hospitals. Their recovery and what is key to that recovery is that stable home environment,” Ms Smith said.

“Once people are in their homes, we can put in the services, link them to the community. Having that place to call home, and be safe there and secure there, and know you’re not going to be asked to move on the next week is important.”

Ms Smith said an increasingly common trend is “more complex” diagnoses among its tenants.

“It could be mental health and addiction, that’s an area that we have certainly feel has grown. Particularly people coming through homeless services. We also do prison inreach as well. They certainly are picking up on that with more complex cases, where it’s not just one diagnosis,” she said.