4 days ago
Hundreds of homes for homeless in Dublin at risk as tender to manage them attracts no bids
Hundreds of homes, planned for Dublin's most vulnerable
homeless
population, are in jeopardy as a tender to manage them has attracted no bids, according to the
Housing Agency
and the
Dublin Regional Homeless Executive
.
Dozens of people, who have been sleeping on streets or who have spent long periods in emergency accommodation and should have been offered housing, have not received offers.
The Housing First programme, where entrenched rough-sleepers are provided with own-door housing along with wraparound supports to help sustain their tenancy, has been managed in Dublin by the
Peter McVerry Trust
, the homeless housing charity, since 2019.
With the expiration of the trust's contract last year, the Housing Agency led a procurement process for the management of 540 tenancies and to meet targets to create hundreds more.
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The agency sought bids for three 'lots' of tenancies.
Though tenders were received from housing bodies for two smaller 'lots' of about 125 current tenancies each, the largest lot of 250 existing tenancies attracted no bids.
There are currently 540 Housing First tenancies in Dublin, with a further 581 across eight regions outside the capital. The programme's current difficulties are limited to properties in Dublin.
The programme for government set a target of expanding the scheme – regarded as hugely successful in tackling long-term homelessness among single adults – to 2,000 nationally, including hundreds more in Dublin.
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A target of 143 additional tenancies were to be created this year, with another 143 next year in Dublin. Sources say fewer than 10 have been created so far this year.
'The scheme has effectively been paused,' said a senior housing sector source.
'It means really vulnerable people who would be put forward for housing with all the wraparound supports, or individuals who have been a long time in emergency accommodation and need those extra supports going into housing, are just being left.'
In addition, supports for existing tenancies are said to 'stretched', with staff from other charities, including Depaul and Focus Ireland assisting Peter McVerry Trust's Housing First staff.
'The Government has made a complete mess of this tender process,' said Sinn Féin's housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin.
'As a result, existing Housing First tenants are not getting the support they need and vital new housing first tenancies are not being created.'
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The Dublin Region Homeless Executive, which provides statutory supports to the scheme, said the delay incompleting the tender has 'hindered the growth of the service in 2025″.
'However, all stakeholders are working collaboratively to consolidate the Housing First programme and support the current Housing First tenants.'
A Housing Agency spokeswoman said its Housing First national office was working to ensure current tenancies are protected and future tenancies will be created under the tender process.
She said 'challenges' facing Housing First included sourcing enough one-bedroom units and recruiting and retaining tenancy support staff.
