The availability of affordable rental properties has decreased by 20 per cent in just three months, a new report as found.
The Locked Out report from homelessness charity the Simon Community found supply decreased by a fifth in three months, and by 27 per cent over six months.
It comes as the latest Department of Housing figures show there are now 8,132 people accessing emergency accommodation services, including 2,129 children.
While this represents a 7 per cent drop year-on-year, the availability of affordable rental accommodation is declining at a much faster pace.
Spokesman Wayne Stanley said: “Our recent quarterly Locked Out report has found a 20 per cent deterioration in just three months in the availability of affordable rental properties across the country, and a 27 per cent deterioration in six months.
“This rapid drop in market supply has added to the chronic the lack of affordable housing in the market.
“We need to see action now to protect those at risk of homelessness and ensure there won’t be a sharp increase in those entering emergency accommodation in the coming months.”
Emergency accommodation
The latest figures, from July 2021 from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government show 8,132 men, women and children were in homeless emergency accommodation in Ireland during July.
This is a fall of 596 since July 2020 and rise of 1.5 per cent since last month, June 2021.
Of those, 4,816 were single adults, a 9.1 per cent annual increase on the number in July 2020.
Some 930 families were homeless, an 18 per cent annual fall on the number in July 2020, but a 0.2 per cent decrease on last month, June 2021.
“The sharp deterioration in affordable housing is concerning and may indicate that there will be an upward trend in those entering homelessness in the coming months,” the Simon Community warned.
