COPE makes urgent housing fund plea

A desperate plea has been made to the Government for a substantial funding allocation for social housing in Galway – at least a dozen people are sleeping rough on the city’s streets and almost 70 more are in crisis accommodation.

Local social services charity COPE Galway said investment in social housing here is essential if homelessness is to be addressed – there are more than 3,600 on the Council’s housing waiting list at the moment.

The charity provided a snapshot of the extent of the housing crisis in the city – on the night of Monday, October 6, it provided emergency accommodation to 44 adults and 22 children across the range of its crisis emergency accommodation services.

Spokesperson Martin O’Connor said: “Another eleven people had contact with our services who were rough sleeping on that night.  There were a further two people who reported that they slept in a squat. This is the reality as we face into the coming winter.”

The charity welcomed the announcement in Budget 2015 that 10,000 social housing units will be built nationally over the next four years.

“Such investment in social housing is vital if the current shortage of housing for low income households is to be addressed.

“We have seen an ever increasing number of individuals and families at risk of and becoming homeless due to the inadequacies of the private rental market where rents are on the rise and sub-standard housing is very often the only option available to lower income households.

“An extensive social housing programme is the best way in the longer term to address these issues,” said Mr O’Connor.

However, a spokesperson for the City Council said it is not yet possible to quantify how many units will be built here, because the local authority has not been given any indication of funding allocation.

Mr O’Connor said: “We are seeing an increase in the numbers seeking emergency accommodation at both our Fairgreen Hostel for homeless men and Osterley Lodge for women and children.

“This, in combination with the shortage of affordable housing in Galway City, is contributing to a situation where there is an increase in the numbers of people rough sleeping and in families living in overcrowded situations with other family members and friends,” said Mr O’Connor.