THERE WERE ONLY 41 homes available to Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) recipients in March, representing 4% of total properties available.

Of these, only four were available through standard HAP limits, while the rest were in the ‘discretionary’ limits.

The latest report by the Simon Communities also reveals that only three out of the 41 were suitable for a single person or a couple household.

All three properties were in Dublin City North. There were an additional eight properties available for a single person/couple households within discretionary HAP limits. These were in Dublin City North (5 properties), Dublin City South (1 property), Galway City Suburbs (1 property), and Kildare (1 property).

One homelessness service user in Cork is quoted in the report saying that finding a one-bed property on HAP is “impossible”.

Another man quoted said the search is “demoralising”.

I feel like I have nowhere to turn.

One home that was within standard limits was suitable for families with two children.

The 41 homes is a slight increase from 2024’s average of 3%. In 2023, an average of 4% of properties were available through HAP. In 2022, the average was 8% and in 2021 the average was 28%.

Some 31 (76%) of the properties available were in Dublin. In Dublin, the discretionary rate allows up to an additional 50% on the standard rate; this is limited to 35% elsewhere in the country.

In 10 out of the 16 study areas there were no properties available to rent through HAP in any household category.

These include Athlone, Cork City Centre, Cork City Suburbs, Galway City Centre, Co. Leitrim, Limerick City Suburbs, Limerick City Centre, Sligo Town, Portlaoise, and Waterford City Centre.