Galway Simon has expressed grave concern as 2024 begins with record numbers of people experiencing homelessness in the West. The latest figures published by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government report a record 630 people staying in Emergency Accommodation in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon in December 2023.
The figures represent a 17% increase in the number of people in Emergency Accommodation in the West from that of December 2022. These numbers reflect the ongoing housing crisis, with slow delivery of social housing, landlords leaving the private rent market, and the lifting of the moratorium on evictions last year.
Galway Simon Community CEO Karen Golden said that it is very distressing to see record numbers of people in Emergency Accommodation.
“We have to remember that behind these numbers are men, women and children whose lives have been put on hold and who are suffering the trauma of homelessness.
She said that rents in private rented accommodation have seen 16%+ annual increases across Galway, Mayo and Roscommon between Qtr. 3 2022 and Qtr. 3 2023.
“Landlords continue to exit the private rental market (the Society of Chartered Surveyors reported last week that 36% of property sales in the final three months of 2023 involved landlords selling their investment properties ) which is feeding into decreasing supply and ever-increasing rents,” she said.
The Simon Communities of Ireland most recent Locked Out of the Market Report published last week showed that there were no properties available to rent in Galway City Centre in December under the HAP limits.
People are having to choose between heating their homes, putting food on the table or paying their rent. With the housing crisis continuing to deepen in the West, there is a greater need for Homelessness Prevention Services than ever before.
“We know that prevention measures work and that they greatly reduce the trauma experienced by those affected by homelessness,” said Ms Golden.
“During 2023 our Prevention Services supported 613 households including 192 families with 393 children. It is becoming increasingly challenging for our Prevention teams to support clients to find alternative accommodation but we continue to deliver solutions.
Of those who engaged with our Prevention Services in 2023, 93% did not access Emergency Accommodation,” she concluded.
In 2023 Galway Simon Community supported 831 households across our Services, a total of 1,341 people comprised of 926 adults and 415 children. This is an increase from the 810 households supported in 2022.
