Clare County Council envisages an increase in demands and requirements on the Homeless Action Team in the wake of the lifting of the eviction ban.
The moratorium on no-fault evictions is set to be lifted at midnight tonight, after being introduced last October.
Emergency services and accommodation remains at capacity in the county, as Clare FM’s Fiona Cahill reports.
This is the last day of the winter eviction ban, with the laws empowering it lapsing at midnight.
This means, technically, the first no fault evictions since October can start tomorrow, but some tenants will have protection up to June 18th, depending on when the notice to quit was issued.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said there are options for people struggling to find a new home and is advising people to engage with Government agencies.
Many people are finding it very difficult, however, to source new accommodation and despite exhausting options in the parliament, the opposition will continue to push for a reinstatement of the ban.
Clare County Council is expecting an increase in demand for housing as a result of the lifting of the ban, as well as a rising high number of referrals to the Homeless Action Team.
It says emergency services and accommodation remains at capacity, and with continued demand for more accommodation, a number of people are staying with friends and family until a vacancy presents.
28 new clients presented to the Homeless Action Team during the first three weeks of this month, with a further 138 repeat engagements.
Their requirements included the need for emergency accommodation, discharge from medical settings, discharge from Women’s Refuge services and release from prison.
11 households exited Emergency Homeless Services, meanwhile, between February 17th and March 9th this year.
The movements were to local authority properties, youth housing accommodation, residential treatment, own front door properties, or hospital, with three discharged due to breach of code of conduct.
It’s understood the Council is continuing to pursue additional emergency accommodation options, however it says this is proving challenging, due to competing demands for accommodation in the county.
The Clare Action Team, meanwhile, continues to engage with all necessary stakeholders, service providers and local supports, in order to adopt a collaborative approach towards tackling homelessness in this county.
