Dublin Simon Community annual review 2011.

The demand for emergency accommodation increased in 2011 despite the additional beds put in place across the sector. The need for accommodation and assistance for people with no place to go, without security and with their lives in danger was aggravated by worsening winter conditions. As winter descended the rise in basic needs was evident with Simon’s Soup Run and Rough Sleeper Team offering our most vulnerable street residents warm clothing and sleeping bags, food and medical assistance and kindness from a friendly face. They offered access to available accommodation, social support services, needle exchange and sleeping packs (folded up mattresses, scarves, gloves, socks and sleeping bags). Our street counts demonstrated an increase throughout the year at a time when already nearly 1,500 people were in danger of becoming institutionalised in temporary emergency accommodation in the greater Dublin Region alone. Our “Homeless Snapshot” in July showed nearly 40% of the people accessing our services were homeless over five years. The events triggering their homelessness were family conflict, domestic violence, relationship breakdown, alcohol, drug, mental or psychiatric issues. Frequently diagnosed physical health conditions were arthritis, blood pressure and asthma while mental health issues included depression, panic attacks and anxiety. This demonstrates that homelessness is not just about housing