As the number of people in homelessness reaches yet another “grim record”, the Government is appealing to local authorities to assess all zoned lands suitable for housing, and to determine whether further tracts should be zoned “residential”.
Latest data from the Department of Housing, published on Friday, shows there were 14,429 people in emergency accommodation in July, including in excess of 4,000 children in more than 2,000 families.
The figures represent the seventh consecutive monthly increase since December and the “devastating consequences of this Government’s housing failures”, said the Social Democrats spokesman on housing, Cian O’Callaghan TD.
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin, said: “Once again, another grim homelessness record has been reached under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.”
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Charities at the front line of the housing crisis said it was “wrong” that “thousands of kids have just started a new school year coming from emergency accommodation’' and urged the Government to do “much more… to protect children whose childhoods are being stolen one day at a time”.
[ Homeless figures reach record high with 14,429 people in emergency accommodationOpens in new window ]
Friday’s figures also show the number of homeless adults surpassed 10,000 for the first time in more than a decade during the week of July 22nd-28th, when there were 10,028 adults and 4,401 children in emergency accommodation.
There were 2,086 families accessing homelessness shelters. In addition, there were 6,573 single adults.
These represent a 12.3 per cent increase in the 12 months since July last year, when there were 12,847 people in emergency accommodation, and compare with 14,303 people in emergency accommodation in June, including 9,899 adults and 4,404 children.
The figures do not include homeless people in domestic violence refuges; those in direct provision centres who have leave to remain in the State but are unable to access housing; anyone sleeping rough; or the 2,577 male asylum seekers awaiting offers of accommodation.
The new record comes as it emerges Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has written to all local authority chief executives telling them to estimate overall housing capacity of their zoned lands and to consider whether increasing zoned lands is required, and to start considering suitable locations for new residential developments.
The Government’s draft revised National Planning Framework sets out that an average of approximately 50,000 new housing units per annum will be required to meet the country’s needs, says the Minister. He expects to finalise an update of annual housing targets by October and this will involve a “further step change in delivery utilising the public and private sector to fund and construct housing”, he adds.
“An important facet of reaching that level of output is ensuring that there is sufficient zoned and serviced land available at suitable locations to facilitate the development of housing and sustainable communities. In the period pending finalisation and approval of the updated National Planning Framework, it would be appropriate for each planning authority to undertake a preliminary assessment of the quantum of zoned and serviced land within their administrative area that is available for residential purposes and to estimate the overall housing capacity of such lands,” the Minister says in his communication.
Following this assessment, where it was considered there may be a need to increase the amount of zoned and serviced land, “it would also be appropriate to start considering the most suitable locations… and to commence undertaking the supporting assessments that will be required for the process of reviewing statutory development plans to give effect to updated targets,” says the Minister.
[ Dublin businesses demand increase in housing supply and more gardaíOpens in new window ]
Any future proposals relating to the zoning of land “must be evidenced-based, justified and consistent with relevant national and regional development policy,” he continues.
“In this regard, I would note that the assessments should have regard to the quantum and rate of take-up of zoned and serviced land on the one hand, and suitability on the other, taking account of the settlement hierarchy; servicing requirements and transport accessibility, in particular accessibility to high-capacity transport options; environmental considerations and community and sustainable development considerations of any new lands to be considered.”
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