JUST 27 properties were available to rent within the discretionary rate of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) sceme in September, according to a new report by the Simon Communities of Ireland. 

The latest Locked Out of the Market report was published this morning. 

The figure of 27 is the lowest number of HAP properties recorded by the Locked Out of the Market series. 

The report found 901 properties were available to rent at any prices within the 16 areas over the three dates surveyed last month. 

This is a 3.5% decrease from the 934 properties available in the June 2023 report. 

Half of the 16 areas had no HAP properties available to rent in any household category within standard or discretionary limits. 

These were Cork ciy centre, Cork city suburbs, Galway city suburbs, Co Leitrim, Limerick city suburbs, Limerick city centre, Sligo town and Portlaoise.

Under the HAP sceme, where local rents are high and tenants are under financial pressure, local authorities can choose at its discretion to increase the amount they pay. They can pay up to 35% over the official threshold. 

75% (673) of properties available to rent at any price were located within the three Dublin areas studied.

Sligo had the lowest number of homes available to rent with just three properties available over the three days.

Portlaoise had six properties available during the study period.

Nine of the 16 study areas experienced a decrease in the availability of properties to rent.

These were Athlone, Cork city centre, Dublin city north, Dublin city centre, Dundalk, Galway city suburbs, Galway city centre, Limerick city centre and Limerick city suburbs.

“It is getting harder and harder to find rental accommodation in Ireland. This is one of the main drivers of the growing level of homelessness in Ireland,” Simon Communities of Ireland executive director Wayne Stanley said. 

“It demands a greater response from Government, including in the first instance, an increase in the HAP rates. This is not a long-term or even a medium-term solution, but it would relieve pressure on those most vulnerable to homelessness,” Stanley said. 

He added that “in the medium term, we need to see the Government working with local authorities to increase the allocation of public housing to those stuck in homelessness so that we see the number of exits increasing”.

“We all know that the answer to homelessness is more secure affordable homes. The best way for Government to drive this change is to increase the targets for social housing to reflect the growing need and then ensure the funding and policy is in place to meet those targets,” Stanley said.  

As seen in many recent Locked Out of the Market reports, the supply of properties within HAP limits are predominantly available in Dublin.

16 (59%) of the total 27 HAP properties were found in the three Dublin areas examined.

Dublin has a discretionary HAP rate of 50% compared to 35% for the rest of the country.