FAMILY hub style accommodation poses the risk of “normalising” homelessness if it is not operated correctly.
That’s the view of Labour Party Housing Spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan who says Limerick City and County Council needs to “ensure this type of accommodation doesn’t become the norm”.
The former Government Minister was speaking to the Limerick Post after it was confirmed that a new 12 unit housing hub is scheduled to open next month for families living in emergency accommodation.
The Limerick family hub will be based at the former “Twin Oaks” bed and breakfast property on the Dublin Road which was listed on the myhome.ie property website with an asking price of €600,000.
And a spokesman for Limerick City and County Council said that they will be looking at other properties which “can be adapted into additional family hubs”.
“This type of accommodation is focused on families and is being provided as a stepping stone to getting their own home,” he added.
The “Twin Oaks” facility will be staffed on a 24-hour basis and will accommodate several families at a time, offering a “more homely setting” with an aim to have five staff to help with cooking, accommodation and resettlement.
The hub will be operated in conjunction with the Mid-West Simon Community whose General Manager Jackie Bonfield said it would put families in a better position to move into their own homes.
“This is a very positive step. But not a final one,” she added.
When asked how long families would spend in the accommodation, she told the Limerick Post, “We set a target for three months. This depends on social housing allocations and private landlords.”
“We are asking private landlords to work with the family hub to help house families. When they move on to a new home, they won’t be on their own, we will still be there to help them.”
The Simon Community, which operates a ‘deposit loan’ scheme, will also offer support to newly housed families, helping them settle in their homes and with tasks such as budgeting.
“I am concerned about the effect emergency accommodation can have on children, not having a home, not knowing where they will be living in future months.There is a risk that these types of accommodation can normalise homelessness,” she added.
Last month, Limerick homelessness agency Novas Initiatives said almost 60 families were living in emergency accommodation in Limerick, which was an increase of 38 per cent on the previous month. Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures for 2016 showed 396 people were homeless in the Mid West region.
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