A FIRST-of-its-kind housing solution for Carlow people who were previously homeless was announced last week. Housing and homeless charity the Peter McVerry Trust is now active in Carlow and has provided a long-term accommodation to a local person who was previously homeless.
The charity intends to provide four more housing units before the end of the year and is on the lookout for other properties in Carlow town and Tullow. The charity, in partnership with Carlow County Council, is working to identify and deliver housing for people impacted by or at risk of homelessness in the county.
The first steps for this announcement were taken following a meeting between the council and the charity at last year’s ploughing championships.
Pat Doyle, CEO of the McVerry Trust, said: “We are delighted to be able to help meet the housing needs of people impacted by homelessness in Carlow. We have been working closely with the council to understand the need that exists locally and how best we can support people in the county.
“We already have our first unit and tenant in place and they receive ongoing support from our dedicated ‘Housing with supports’ team. We are now progressing other opportunities to ensure we can help take people out of homelessness and give them the key to their own home and a better future.
“The challenge is to grow the number of homes we can provide and in particular the number of one-bedroom homes, as they are the type most needed, yet hardest to come by. We are looking at any possible opportunities, including long-term vacant buildings, commercial properties that can be converted to residential, or sites with planning.
“We’d encourage anyone that has a property that would be suitable for social housing in Carlow town or Tullow to contact us so that we can secure more housing options to help tackle homelessness in Co Carlow.”
The charity’s ‘Housing with supports’ team will assist Carlow tenants by helping them settle into their new home, set up household bills and link in with local community and health services, as needed. Tenants are also supported to take up education and training courses, if necessary, to return to employment.
The Peter McVerry Trust is currently delivering housing and services across 22 counties.
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Article from https://carlow-nationalist.ie/2020/10/07/homeless-charity-peter-mcverry-trust-unveil-first-carlow-property/#.X37XXJNKiCR
