The Simon Communities of Ireland’s ‘Locked Out’ report finds further deterioration in the availability of affordable rental properties across the country
The quarterly Locked Out report by the Simon Community has found a 20% deterioration in just three months in the availability of affordable rental properties across the country, and a 27% deterioration in six months.
The June 2021 study found there were 2,208 properties available to rent at any price within the 16 areas examined over the three dates (21st, 22nd and 23rd June) surveyed.
This represents a 20% decrease from the 2,757 properties which were available to rent at any price in the March 2021 Locked Out study period. This is further down 27% from the 3,019 properties available in the December 2020 Locked Out study, with the supply being overwhelmingly driven by Dublin.
The Locked Out report examines the experience of people on a low income and dependent on housing assistance payment (HAP) to access housing in the private rental market. It also looks at the availability of homes to rent over a three-day period.
The report considers the availability of properties within both the standard and discretionary HAP limits in 16 areas around the country for four household categories: single person, couple, couple/one parent and one child and couple/one parent and two children.
Of the 2,208 properties available during the three days in June 2021, no properties (one-bedroom units) were within standard HAP limits for single people across the 16 areas.
The June 2021 study found there were 906 properties available to rent within a standard or discretionary HAP limit in at least one of the four household categories, representing 41% of the total properties available.
This is a 14% decrease on the 1,055 properties which were available to rent within at least one HAP category in the December study.
Of the 906 properties available, no properties were available within standard HAP limits for a single person, whilst 78 properties were found within discretionary limits for single people; 55 properties were available to rent within the standard HAP limits for a couple, with a further 293 properties available in this category within discretionary limits.
Only 3 properties were available for a couple/one parent and one child within standard HAP limits, with a further 385 properties found within discretionary limits, most of which were located in Dublin.
Only 5 properties were available within standard HAP limits for a couple/one parent and two children, with a further 466 properties were found within discretionary limits.
Wayne Stanley, Head of Policy and Communications at the Simon Communities of Ireland, said that the ongoing tightening of supply and erosion of affordability in the private rental market that “will lead to increased homelessness.”
“HAP rates have to be addressed in the short term to keep people in their homes and support them out of homelessness. However, we cannot continue to chase rents and we need delivery of public housing,” Stanley said.
The Simon Community supports over 18,000 men, women, and children, providing homeless, housing and treatment services to people facing homelessness.