Focus Ireland announces it delivered 153 Homes This Year As it Reports On Progress of New 31 Bed Development in Dublin City Centre

Focus Ireland announced today that it has delivered 153 units to its housing stock this year as it commits to doubling the number of homes provide over the next five years. As 2019 nears these homes are being allocated to give 153 households including couples, families and individuals a place to call home.

The new homes have been provided under the charity’s strategy to help tackle the growing homeless crisis. This increased housing delivery is a core part of our strategy and is playing a key part in our work, challenging homelessness and changing lives.  Focus Ireland now provides 1,200 homes and it has delivered 507 of these in the four years from 2015 to 2018.

This work has changed the lives of many who now have a place to call home. We carry out this vital work through the Focus Housing Association.  The charity announced the figures as it also reported on the progress of a new development which will deliver 31 homes in Dublin City Centre in 2019.

The homes will be most welcome when they are completed early in the New Year, as a record number of nearly 10,000 people are now homeless in Ireland. Building works at what will eventually be a 31 unit building at John’s Lane West located just off Thomas Street are very near completion.

The residential apartment complex will include one, two and three bed apartments as Focus Ireland continues to deliver on permanent housing solutions.

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said:

“I am proud to say we delivered 153 new homes this year, by the end of 2018 Focus Ireland owned or managed a total of 1,200 housing units for people who were homeless or at risk.”

Mr Dennigan outlined:

“We are committed to working with the State to tackle and prevent homelessness. We firmly believe that homelessness is wrong. Focus Ireland maintains that there needs to be a firm shift away from managing the issue of homelessness towards ending the crisis.  We are playing our part by delivering these homes with the support of the State.”

The shift from “managing homelessness” towards ending the crisis is vital as no emergency accommodation will ever replace a place to call home.  There are 3,725 children homeless and we need them to be back in homes as soon as possible.  No stone must be left unturned to achieve this.

The John’s Lane West site was previously used by Focus Ireland services, and used as emergency accommodation up until three years ago. Focus Ireland received some criticism when the emergency accommodation was closed to make way for development, but our plan was always to deliver permanent homes.

Mr Dennigan said:

“It will be great when the first individuals and families move in to their homes here at John’s Lane West in 2019 and can leave homelessness behind. The John’s Lane West development is made possible thanks to a combination of Department of Housing support, commercial borrowings and donated funds.”

Focus Ireland lease and manage tenancies in the following areas nationally: Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council and in counties Kildare, Carlow, Wexford, Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Clare, Sligo and Tipperary.

Focus Ireland are achieving our goals via a variety of mechanisms, including the Housing Finance Agency, Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and donors.  Our work continues apace across Ireland and we look forward to playing an integral part in helping to deliver homes to help tackle the housing and homelessness crisis nationwide.

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