No room at the inn

The extent of the homeless crisis in the region has been laid bare with confirmation that all emergency accommodation beds in Offaly and the Midlands were continually occupied during 2019.

From the Offaly social housing list, there were 21 single adults, and a further nine families, believed to account for a total of 15 people, in emergency accommodation at the end of September last.
And the Midland Simon Community too has also highlighted what it said was the “biggest demand ever for its services in 2019". It confirmed the emergency accommodation service was "working to capacity 24/7".
In his report on housing as part of the county council's budget preparation recently, Offaly County Council's Director of Services Tom Shanahan said: “The number of homeless presentations continued to be high throughout 2019. Notice to quit by private rented landlords, unaffordable private rents and the lack of private rented supply were the main reasons for presentation.”
He added that all emergency beds in the county were taken during 2019.
Meanwhile, the council, in an initial survey, has identified just under 300 possible vacant homes in Offaly. It follows the appointment of a Vacant Homes Officer in the county.
The council said the 15 main settlements in the county had been surveyed and the owners of the just under 300 possible vacant homes had been written to.
The council hopes to engage with the owners of the vacant homes over their future plans for the vacant properties and offer advice on how to bring properties back into use.
Figures show that there were 645 households in Offaly on the social housing list at the end of September 2019. 
There are a further 849 in receipt of Housing Assistance Payments (HAP), 131 on Rental Accommodation Schemes and 176 in various leasing arrangements.