'Property listings' shine a light on dire conditions facing the homeless
A campaign by St Vincent de Paul and In the Company of Huskies has been launched in Dublin to highlight the dire conditions facing the homeless.
Yesterday we reported on the SVP shop on South Great George’s Street that was transformed into a ‘Hidden Homeless’ estate agency window.
In the Company of Huskies states: “Not all homeless individuals and families live on the streets. The Hidden Homeless include those who’ve lost their homes due to hikes in private rented sector rents, and have subsequently become forced to stay in hotels or B&Bs.
“Others have to make do with cold, damp and poor-quality rental units of ‘sofa surf’ in the homes of friends or extended family.”
The Hidden Homeless properties were first featured on Daft.ie and are now displayed on the estate agency window in Dublin city.
John-Mark McCafferty, SVP’s Head of Social Justice and Policy , has said: “The situation for many families is critical.
“Since August 2015 in Dublin alone, the number of families living in homeless accommodation has jumped from 607 to 998, and the number of children in those families has gone from 1,275 to 2,012. In addition, average rents nationwide have risen by 40% since 2012.”
SVP and In the Company of Huskies hope that the public will engage with these overpriced and often grubby listings, considering the situation that many ‘Hidden Homeless’ people are in currently.
