Cork’s homelessness crisis has taken a turn for the worse, with a dramatic rise in the number of people sleeping rough on the city’s streets, according to Cork Simon’s latest annual report.
The charity’s outreach team encountered a staggering 577 individuals sleeping rough in 2023, marking a 39% increase from the previous year. On an average night, they met 30 people without shelter – a shocking 135% jump compared to 2022.
Cork Simon CEO Dermot Kavanagh described 2023 as a “tough and challenging year” for the organization. “We’re meeting more people now who are being pushed into homelessness because they cannot find a place they can afford to live,” he explained.
According to Irish Examiner, the charity’s emergency shelter, already stretched thin, increased its capacity by 17% to accommodate 75 people nightly. Long-term homelessness also saw a significant rise, with a 34% increase in individuals staying at the shelter for over six months.
Despite these challenges, Cork Simon has made strides in prevention and support:
- A new pilot homeless prevention service kept 60 people from needing emergency shelter in just nine months.
- The charity helped 46 people move into independent or supported housing.
- By the end of 2023, Cork Simon was supporting 254 formerly homeless individuals in maintaining their tenancies.
- Their addiction treatment program saw a 23% increase in participants, supporting 101 people.
Kavanagh acknowledged the crucial support from statutory funders and thousands of generous donors. “At the heart of it all were our thousands of generous donors who continued to believe in us, believe in the people we’re supporting, believe in the life-changing, life-saving work of our volunteers and staff teams,” he said.
While the figures paint a grim picture of Cork’s homelessness situation, Cork Simon’s efforts and community support offer a glimmer of hope in addressing this growing crisis.