💾 Archived View for eir.mooo.com › nuacht › cor16990524001.gmi captured on 2024-06-20 at 12:57:30. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

‘Nine long-term vacant homes for every homeless adult’ in Cork

EchoLive.ie, 4 Nov

A report, published by Cork Simon, showed that 17,055 vacant properties

were recorded in Cork on Census Night 2022, with almost 5,000 homes

described as long-term vacant.

The report’s author, Sophie Johnston, described the number of long-term

vacant homes in the context of the current homelessness crisis as

“grim”.Pic; Larry Cummins

    

Concubhar Ó Liatháin

AS the number of homeless adults in Cork exceeded 500 for the 12th

month in succession, a new report has revealed there are nine long-term

vacant homes for each adult seeking emergency accommodation in Cork.

The report, published by Cork Simon, showed that 17,055 vacant

properties were recorded in Cork on Census Night 2022, with almost

5,000 homes described as long-term vacant.

Almost 3,000 of the vacant properties were rental properties, and 650

of these were also vacant on Census Night 2016.

The report, entitled ‘Home Truths — Vacant Homes in Cork’ provides an

analysis of Census 2022 data which paints a stark picture of the

long-term vacancy and dereliction rates in the city and county.

The report’s author, Sophie Johnston, described the number of long-term

vacant homes in the context of the current homelessness crisis as

“grim”.

“One in every three vacant homes in Cork city and county has been

vacant for at least seven years,” she said. “That’s equal to nine

long-term vacant homes for every adult in emergency accommodation in

Cork.”

She said these figures point to a potential to house the homeless.

“The long-term vacancy count gives an indication of the number of

vacant homes that could potentially be brought back into use rather

than possibly progressing to dereliction and beyond use,” she said.

The 2,954 vacant rental properties represented a “real concern” to Cork

Simon, the report author stated.

“As our first Home Truths paper earlier this year highlighted, single

households are the majority in emergency accommodation,” she said.

“They depend on the private rented market for a speedy exit from

homelessness.”

The report also explores the views of homeless people on the issue.

‘Barry’, who is using homeless services in Cork, said we should be

learning from how other countries address vacant properties.

“Other European countries sustain and maintain their assets, especially

in Germany,” he said.

“They set a different bar for themselves for the maintenance of their

own country. Why not… set that bar for ourselves and then nothing else

should be acceptable.”

‘Vacant Homes in Cork’ is the second paper in Cork Simon’s Home Truths

series, which aims to offer insights into different aspects and

experiences of homelessness in the south-west.

Motorist caught driving in excess of 200km/h on Cork road during garda

operation