2016 National Census & Spring Street Count
The National Census took place on the 24th of April 2016. The Spring 2016 Street Count was done on rough sleeping on the night of the 24th and continued into the morning of the 25th of April 2016. Yesterday, the 3rd of May, official figures were released by the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE); and data on available homeless services and tenancies were made available.
The report revealed that this quarter of 2016 saw a record number in provision of tenancies, 413 in total, compared to any other year. Of these tenants 350 are in receipt of post-settlement housing support and 63 tenants are living independently without housing report.
Between the dates of June 2014 to March 2016, 2,234 households were saved from possible homelessness. These households were sustained under the Tenancy Protection Service via rent uplift, advocacy and re-housing.
The Spring Count on rough sleeping confirmed that there was a 12% increase of persons sleeping rough since the Winter, bringing the total up to 102 people, but compared to last year’s Spring Count there are three less people homeless. Of the 102 rough sleepers the majority were Irish men and females, 64 in total – 84 were male, 16 were female and 2 were unknown. The largest of the groups were age 31-40 year-olds; 27 people in that age group. The latest figures reveal that 62 of the 102 persons have accessed homeless services and 9 of those people have never accessed any services.
There are currently 2,579 beds available for emergency accommodation and on the night of the count only 2 of these beds were unoccupied. The rapid housing programme were also brought into count. So far 22 units have been completed in Ballymun and 11 of them have been allocated to families in Poppintree. A further 131 units are to be delivered to Drimnagh, Ballyfermot and Finglas, and work on rapid housing in Belcamp and Malahide Rd will commence in July 2016. The programme will add another 350 units to accommodate families who are presently living in commercial hotels in and around the Dublin area.
Merchants Quay Ireland is situated in Dublin 8 and has the Night Cafe operating. The Night Cafe offers a service for people who do not access emergency accommodation, these people are mostly rough sleepers or people with drug addictions. On the night of the count 69 persons accessed this facility. One often sees people sleeping rough or you get approached for assistance by someone that is homeless. If you start talking to them and know not what to do and you would like to help, why not visit the confidential weblink on http://www.homelessdublin.ie/report-rough-sleeper.
Hashtags: #StreetCensus 
