Homeless Crisis

[Captain Scarlet]

Just on the back of yet another homeless summit I was just wondering what are the thoughts here. There are so many layers to all this.
First up from my point of view as someone who is early 30s and always rented in Dublin myself and my mates can't get mortgages in general, despite many working in decent jobs.
They are also all getting rent increases with one mate in particular told her tenancy was up due to a brother coming back from Oz only to see her place up on Daft a month later with an increase of €350. This all causes a trickle down effect as the people with jobs end up moving into crappier places for the same price.
Then those who lived there downgrade and in the end those who were struggling in bed sits (studios) end up being totally priced out.

I know it all gets lumped in as one but the roygh sleepers often need real support to get their lives back on track but those who are being squeezed just need rent certainty and more units to come online. For the life of me I don't understand this aversion of going up in areas like the docklands that have no heritage buildings and a blank canvass. Any time people on radio or TV mention high rise the Ballymun flats get brought up. In this case let developers build and cater for the higher-end professionals who are happy to buy or pa decent rent.
Build up and provide places for all the Google and Facebook heads for example. This might help to stop that trickle down.

Obviously there also needs to be a Govt will and there really doesn't seem to be. They need to be pushing through emergency measures and getting a major building scheme going, or at least cut the red tape to allow social housing to be built.
Co-ops are one way to help and would be a really great addition in the housing sector, but there doesn't seem to be many.

Excuse my ignorance but what is the situation like in the north of the island?

[T Fearon]

Not sure about working people being forced out of housing due to unscrupulous landlords,but in terms of the social problem of homelessness,not
so long ago I attended a seminar addressed by a very senior member of the Belfast City Centre Management Team.He explained to the audience that there is no need for anyone in Belfast to sleep rough outdoors at night.He said every single person is offered a bed but many due to addiction etc,refuse the offer.I am also aware of a few Church linked groups of people who give up their time nightly in Belfast City Centre who go out late at night and offer hot soup etc to the homeless.There have been a few homeless deaths in recent years in Belfast City Centre.

I am assuming that people see the problems of homelessness very simply as a matter of government neglect,whereas I'm sure the case in Dublin,similarly to Belfast and other areas,is that there is a myriad of support for homeless people,from both statutory and voluntary agencies,but sadly many homeless people do not avail of this support.

[StGallsGAA]

Not sure about working people being forced out of housing due to unscrupulous landlords,but in terms of the social problem of homelessness,not
so long ago I attended a seminar addressed by a very senior member of the Belfast City Centre Management Team.He explained to the audience that there is no need for anyone in Belfast to sleep rough outdoors at night.He said every single person is offered a bed but many due to addiction etc,refuse the offer.I am also aware of a few Church linked groups of people who give up their time nightly in Belfast City Centre who go out late at night and offer hot soup etc to the homeless.There have been a few homeless deaths in recent years in Belfast City Centre.

I am assuming that people see the problems of homelessness very simply as a matter of government neglect,whereas I'm sure the case in Dublin,similarly to Belfast and other areas,is that there is a myriad of support for homeless people,from both statutory and voluntary agencies,but sadly many homeless people do not avail of this support.

Or he's being a little creative in his telling of the story.  Those with alcohol or drugs on board are turned away.  That's quite different to refusing the offer of accommodation.

[Milltown Row2]

In Belfast the homeless are alcoholics and drug users in the main, there are no people living on the street who can't afford accommodation due to high mortgages and low wages... they just exist from hour to hour, noticed a lad from my primary school on the street, decent background good family just turned to alcohol and his life had turned to shit since!!!

Sorting out these problems before it gets to this stage is the only answer

[Mickey Linden]

I don't know much about the politics of it all but Belfast has completely changed in the last 10 years. I get off the train  at botanic station  most mornings and the amount of young people on the streets would genuinely break your heart. From what I can see most of these people are in their late teens. It's alright saying that government etc are doing all they can but there is clearly something wrong somewhere

[T Fearon]

The guy in question was unambiguous and adamant.Those sleeping rough on the streets of Belfast on any given night are doing so because they have turned down the offer of sheltered accommodation.

[Mickey Linden]

Maybe I'm looking at things too simplistically but surely not all those young people are on the streets because they want to be? It's genuinely heart breaking. Something is wrong somewhere

[Tony Baloney]

There is something deeply wrong with any society that allows homelessness to be normalised. As well as giving these people shelter the government need to address the causes of homelessness. Having a doss house for young adults shouldn't be an answer.

[Milltown Row2]

Take a walk around Belfast, high street mainly or bridge street area, there are a few social housing places all nearby... they are up and at it from craic of dawn sitting on the streets begging getting money going to Lidl and getting drink, they are barely surviving... tackling the problems that took them to that position is the only place to work from, 95 % I see are locals, not migrants as they usual work... these lads women have had huge social and family problems,  that living on the street and get off their face is actually easier!

I don't know what the solution would be but I certainly believe there is enough housing for the homeless it's just they can't follow the rules to keep a roof over their heads

[Mickey Linden]

No matter what the circumstances I just think it's so hard to see. Good man tony for attending a meeting where some Tory says there is enough beds for everyone. Mustn't really be a problem

[T Fearon]

Mickey,the guy in question was also training to be a Methodist Minister.I have no reason to doubt the veracity of what he said,what was his motive in lying? Obviously in his day job,it doesn't look good for the image of Belfast to have people sleeping in doorways,but his own additional pastoral concern was evident as well.

I therefore believe him when he said no one needs to be sleeping rough on the streets of Belfast on any night.

[J70]

Just on the back of yet another homeless summit I was just wondering what are the thoughts here. There are so many layers to all this.
First up from my point of view as someone who is early 30s and always rented in Dublin myself and my mates can't get mortgages in general, despite many working in decent jobs.
They are also all getting rent increases with one mate in particular told her tenancy was up due to a brother coming back from Oz only to see her place up on Daft a month later with an increase of €350. This all causes a trickle down effect as the people with jobs end up moving into crappier places for the same price.
Then those who lived there downgrade and in the end those who were struggling in bed sits (studios) end up being totally priced out.

I know it all gets lumped in as one but the roygh sleepers often need real support to get their lives back on track but those who are being squeezed just need rent certainty and more units to come online. For the life of me I don't understand this aversion of going up in areas like the docklands that have no heritage buildings and a blank canvass. Any time people on radio or TV mention high rise the Ballymun flats get brought up. In this case let developers build and cater for the higher-end professionals who are happy to buy or pa decent rent.
Build up and provide places for all the Google and Facebook heads for example. This might help to stop that trickle down.

Obviously there also needs to be a Govt will and there really doesn't seem to be. They need to be pushing through emergency measures and getting a major building scheme going, or at least cut the red tape to allow social housing to be built.
Co-ops are one way to help and would be a really great addition in the housing sector, but there doesn't seem to be many.

Excuse my ignorance but what is the situation like in the north of the island?

Its not as if high rises are not common place all over the world.

I live close to the Long Island City area of Queens in NYC, and the high rises going up along the East River there, in what used to be a large dockland and industrial area, are renting for $5-6K/month for a three bedroom and selling for close to a million or more for two bedrooms.

Sure, there are rough public housing projects all over NYC which are high rise, but the issue is income and social issues, NOT the height of the buildings. Just like there are rough public housing estates in south county Dublin, often abutting directly onto middle to upper class housing estates.

[seafoid]

Social house building was a feature of Irish political life from the 1920s to the 1980s when neoliberalism became the system.
Nobody should be homeless in Ireland.

[manfromdelmonte]

build houses
charge them a fair rent

there are hundreds of boarded up houses and apartments all over Dublin and other towns belonging to various councils
turn them around and give them to these families

[Milltown Row2]

build houses
charge them a fair rent

there are hundreds of boarded up houses and apartments all over Dublin and other towns belonging to various councils
turn them around and give them to these families

Just give them away?