Increased number of people and families seeking homeless services in Tipperary

Tipperary County Council is dealing with an increased number of people and families presenting as homeless.

That is according to Director of Services for the Housing Section of Tipperary County Council Sinead Carr at last month’s plenary meeting.

Ms Carr said on average they see around 400 people a year, and they are about to come up on that figure now.

OWN FRONT DOOR

Ms Carr was responding to a query by Cllr David Dunne, who asked if homeless presentations have increased. Cllr Dunne also asked if there was enough emergency accommodation as stories in the media suggest the council may not have the resources they need.

He said he is concerned that the council’s Own Front Door scheme, which is a transitional service intended for complicated cases, was being used to bridge a gap.

“Is Own Front Door becoming normal homeless accommodation?” said Cllr Dune.

Ms Carr said Own Front Door is intended for people where a B&B accommodation may not be appropriate and who need other services.

She said those clients may stay for up to six-months so that they can access the services they need. There are currently 14 families using the service.

Ms Carr said some people expect when they contact the council to be provided with a B&B.

But the council will assess their situation and decide if there is anywhere else they can stay.

They will decide if the individual is suitable for B&B accommodation or Own Front Door.

“If people need emergency accommodation and it stacks up, they will get emergency accommodation,” said Ms Carr.

But if there is more suitable accommodation like with family, they will be sent to stay with them.

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

However, Cllr Marie Murphy said that many families are helping loved ones who find themselves homeless, but are there are “unintended consequences.”

She said that a family might find that taking someone in results in them being classed as overcrowded and evicted as a result.

She said she knows of people scared to list people living with them because they believe that family members will be deemed ‘suitably housed’ and not entitled to support. She said it is ‘vital that a common-sense approach’ is applied.

Ms Carr said that this was not the case. She told elected members that the council will continue to support people staying with family.

It is, she said, better for them to stay with a loved one than to need emergency accommodation.

“Our first course of action is prevention. You are far better off with family than going into emergency accommodation, said Ms Carr.