Will you MakeRoom?

December 22, 2009

MakeRoom Welcomes Rent Supplement and Homeless Funding Budget Decisions

MakeRoom, the campaign alliance of Focus Ireland, the Simon Communities of Ireland, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and Threshold has today welcomed the government's decision not to cut homeless funding or to cut rent supplement levels in Budget 2010.

Speaking on behalf of the campaign Bob Jordan said:

'MakeRoom is very pleased that Government did not cut the homeless budget for 2010. This is clearly an indication of its commitment to achieving its stated goals of ending the need to sleep rough and long term homelessness by the end of 2010.

'In the run up to the budget MakeRoom campaigned against any further cuts to Rent Supplement in Budget 2010. We are pleased that Government heeded our calls.

'As housing need continues to rise increasing numbers of people affected by the recession are turning to the private sector to meet their accommodation needs. Rent Supplement provides a vital safety net for many of these households.

'Any cut in Rent Supplement levels would have pushed households further into poverty and put them at an increased risk of homelessness.

'We are concerned however, that Government has indicated that it intends to reduce Rent Supplement expenditure by €20 million in 2010 through a review of maximum rent caps. MakeRoom strongly supports a full review of rent levels at the bottom end of the rental market. We urge the Government to wait until such a review is completed before making any decision on possible changes to rent supplement caps .' ENDS

December 03, 2009

Don't Cut Rent Supplement

MakeRoom, the campaign alliance of Focus Ireland, The Simon Communities of Ireland, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and Threshold today have made a final call on the government not to cut rent supplement in next weeks budget.

The homeless charities have warned that any further reductions in this vital safety net will increase the risk of homelessness for many households.

Speaking on behalf of MakeRoom, Director of Threshold Bob Jordan said:

'Rent supplement is a vital safety net for many of our poorest households preventing them from becoming homeless. It also supports people who have experienced homelessness in the past to move on to independent living.

'MakeRoom is calling on the Government not to cut rent supplement in next week's budget. Rent supplement has already been cut twice in the last 14 months. Any further cuts will increase the risk of homelessness for many families.

'There is already growing evidence of families, hard pressed by the recession, who are unable to meet rent payments and falling into rent or mortgage arrears. Further cuts to rent supplement will only make it harder for people to keep up with their rent payments and could lead to more homelessness.' END

October 20, 2009

Don't Cut The Rent Supplement Safety Net

Rent supplement is a vital safety net for many of our poorest households preventing them from becoming homeless.

It also supports people who have experienced homelessness in the past to move on to independent living.

Rent supplement has already been cut twice in the last year.

Cutting rent supplement again in the December budget will make it harder for people to keep up with their rent payments and could lead to more homelessness.

Support MakeRoom's campaign calling for no more cuts to be made to this vital safety net in December's budget by lobbying the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and your local TDs.

For more information click here

To take action click here

October 12, 2009

MakeRoom Welcomes Programme for Government Commitment on Homelessness

MakeRoom, the campaign alliance of Focus Ireland, the Simon Communities of Ireland, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and Threshold have today welcomed the new Programme for Government's re-iteration of the commitment to "end long term homelessness by the end of 2010."

Speaking on behalf of the campaign Patrick Burke said:

"MakeRoom was established in 2006 with the primary aim of setting 2010 as the target for ending long term homelessness. This target has been accepted by Government, statutory and voluntary agencies since 2007. It is the primary aim of the government's 2008 adult homeless strategy The Way Home. The Strategy also includes the commitment to end the need to sleep rough by 2010.

"MakeRoom is very pleased that the new programme for Government agreed by Fianna Fail and the Green Party on Friday reiterates this commitment. This reflected that commitment which both Minister Gormley and Minister Finneran have shown on this issue.

"The Programme explicitly says that the government, 'will end long term homelessness by the end of 2010 through the implementation of The Way Home, Ireland's strategy on adult homelessness 2008-2013".

"There are now less than 15 months until that commitment must be achieved. This represents a major challenge to all of us, to make this commitment a reality over the coming months through the full and faithful implementation of The Way Home. MakeRoom are fully committed to partnering with all involved to make this happen' ENDS

Note to editor: Long-term homelessness is where a person is homeless for more than six months.

July 02, 2009

MakeRoom Welcomes Passing of Housing Bill

MakeRoom, the campaign alliance of Focus Ireland, the Simon Communities of Ireland, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Threshold, has today welcomed the passing into law of the Housing Bill 2008.

Speaking after the Bill was passed from the Seanad to President McAleese, Kieran Murphy, CEO of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul said:

On behalf of MakeRoom I want to welcome the passing into law of the Housing Bill 2008. This is an important piece of legislation, which will significantly improve the ability of Local Authorities to deliver quality housing services. More importantly from our point of view, the sections dealing with homelessness will play an important role in the effort to end long term homelessness by 2010.

MakeRoom would like to express our thanks to Minister for Housing Michael Finneran, his department officials and all those TDs who supported MakeRoom's campaign to put homelessness into the heart of the Housing Bill.

We would also like to thank all those concerned citizens who took the time to lobby their local TDs in support of our call for the inclusion of the homeless amendments into the Bill.

The purpose of these amendments is to underpin the Government's new Homeless Strategy, The Way Home, and the commitments its contains to end the need to sleep rough and long term homelessness by 2010, with a statutory requirement for all local authorities to establish homeless fora and to produce local homeless action plans.

The amendments also detail the importance of multi-agency and sector partnership within these fora, providing for input from statutory and voluntary agencies.

While we welcome the passing of this important piece of legislation, MakeRoom still believes that a number of opportunities were lost in that the Bill does not include a right to housing, a new legal definition of homelessness or a greater level of standardisation in housing needs assessments and local authority allocation schemes. These are areas that the MakeRoom alliance will continue to lobby on in the future.

MakeRoom firmly believes that through a real partnership, the statutory and voluntary sectors can achieve our shared goals of ending rough sleeping and long term homelessness by 2010. These amendments when passed into law will provide local authorities with a powerful tool in realising this vision, and MakeRoom member organisations look forward to working with the local authorities in making that happen." ENDS

June 15, 2009

MakeRoom Welcomes Homeless Amendments to Housing Bill

MakeRoom, the campaign alliance of Focus Ireland, the Simon Communities of Ireland, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Threshold, has today welcomed amendments relating to homelessness contained in a new chapter of the Housing Bill 2008, published by Minister for State with responsibility for Housing and Local Services Michael Finneran TD.

This new chapter places a statutory requirement on local authorities to establish Homeless Consultative Fora in their administrative area and to develop Local Homeless Action Plans.

Speaking after meeting with the Minister Finneran on this matter, Patrick Burke, CEO of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said:

"On behalf of MakeRoom I want to welcome the content of this new chapter of amendments published today by Minister Finneran's office. These are important amendments to an important piece of legislation. We will be urging all TDs to support these amendments and ensure that the Housing Bill 2008, with these amendments, is passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas before the summer break.

"MakeRoom has had ongoing and positive dialogue with Minister Finneran and his departmental officials on this issue and we are pleased that the amendments published today are reflective of that dialogue.

"The purpose of the amendments is to underpin the Government's new Homeless Strategy, The Way Home - and the commitments its contains to end the need to sleep rough and long term homelessness by 2010, with a statutory requirement for all local authorities to establish homeless fora and to produce local homeless action plans.

"The amendments also detail the importance of multi-agency and sector partnership within these fora, providing for input from statutory and voluntary agencies.

"MakeRoom firmly believes that through a real partnership, the statutory and voluntary sectors can achieve our shared goals of ending rough sleeping and long term homelessness by 2010. These amendments when passed into law will provide local authorities with a powerful tool in realising this vision, and MakeRoom member organisations look forward to working with the local authorities in making that happen."

March 02, 2009

Put homelessness at the heart of the Housing Bill

MakeRoom launches online lobby campaign

Help make room to put homelessness at the heart of the Housing Bill by clicking here

The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will start its passage through the Dáil this week. Launched in June 2008 the Bill includes; improvements to housing services; a statutory basis for the Rental Accommodation Scheme; a new incremental purchase scheme; and provisions for local anti social behaviour strategies.

MakeRoom, the campaign alliance of Focus Ireland, the Simon Communities of Ireland, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Threshold Alliance, has launched an online lobby campaign in an attempt to secure a number of amendments to the Bill the purpose of which is to 'put homelessness at the heart of the Housing Bill.'

Speaking this morning Bob Jordan said:

"The Housing Bill 2008 is an important piece of legislation aimed at improving services and developing sustainable communities. Housing and homeless are interconnected; there needs to be a strong link at both a policy level and in terms of practice responding to needs as they arise with the appropriate supports.

MakeRoom is calling on everyone who wants to help end homelessness to take action and log on to their website www.makeroom.ie/takeaction. There you can sign up to this campaign, send a letter directly to the TD's in your constituency and to the Ministers with direct responsibility Minister John Gormley and Minister of State Michael Finneran asking them to 'put homelessness at the heart of this housing bill'.

"MakeRoom supports this Bill. We believe it could make a real difference to the lives of many people who are currently homeless and indeed serve to prevent others becoming homeless in the future but only if a number of gaps which we have identified are addressed.

"We believe that with reasonable amendments the Bill could become a truly valuable tool for meeting the government's target of ending long-term homelessness and the need to sleep rough by 2010.

MakeRoom is calling on everyone who wants to help end homelessness to log on to www.makeroom.ie/takeaction and lobby their local TDs to put homelessness at the heart of the Housing Bill.

November 12, 2008

Positive & Constructive Meeting with Minister Finneran on Homeless Plan

MakeRoom, the campaign alliance of Focus Ireland, the Simon Communities of Ireland, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Threshold met with Minister of State for Housing Michael Finneran today in Leinster House. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the ongoing work within the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the development of the implementation plan for the government's new homeless strategy, The Way Home, launched in August 2008.

Speaking after the meeting MakeRoom spokesperson Joyce Loughnan said:

"Today's meeting was very positive and constructive. MakeRoom discussed with Minister Finneran how we thought the new homeless strategy could best be implemented. We stressed that we want to work positively with government to ensure that the homeless strategy makes a real difference to all those people experiencing homelessness.

"Our key priorities for the implementation plan include; clear timelines for delivery of specific actions with clear responsibility and accountability agreed; clear allocation of funding under each strategic aim; a commitment to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the strategy on an ongoing basis; inclusion of all statutory and voluntary sector providers in the development and review of the implementation plan; and opportunities for all statutory and voluntary sector providers to have meaningful input into the development of quality standards, good practice models and other such guidelines referred to throughout the strategy.

"The Minister outlined his commitment to ongoing dialogue and partnership in the design and roll out of the homeless strategy implementation plan, which we warmly welcome.

"MakeRoom firmly believes that through a real partnership, the statutory and voluntary sectors can achieve our shared goals. If government meets its own targets on social housing and provides dedicated funding for housing supports then the homeless strategy's ambitious targets could be achieved. Better coordination between the Department of Environment, the HSE and other statutory bodies will ensure that adequate funding for housing, health and other support costs is provided efficiently and effectively. While the recession has created real challenges for all of us, we must not allow this to become an excuse for failing to fund front line services." ENDS