A new report by the Simon Communities of Ireland has warned that unemployment, still-high rents and pandemic-related restrictions mean the threat of homelessness is continuing to be a daily fear for many people in Ireland.
And, while supports are there for at risk families, the group says those most in jeopardy are single people.
The Simon Communities of Ireland's head of policy, Wayne Stanley says homelessness has fallen by 20% in the last year; which is to be welcomed.
He said that has been driven by a welcome reduction in family homelessness and a big part of this reason has been the government mortatorium on evictions and rent increases.
But he added that the availability of homes to rent hasn't changed much in the last year nor has affordability.
He said there has been some increased supply in Dublin but that it is 'dire' in the rest of the country, single people have really been left behind and that numbers of single people homelessness have increased.
Mr Stanley said there is real concern that the country will return to the same issues that it experienced prior to the pandemic.
He pointed to the difference between Dublin where Local Authorities have the discretion to pay up to 50% above the standard HAP limits and the other areas where that discretion is limited to 20%.
More than 80% of the properties advertised to rent in December priced within Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) limits were in Dublin.
In Galway city centre, Limerick city Suburbs, Limerick city centre, Sligo Town, Portlaoise and Waterford city centre there were no properties available to rent within the HAP limits.
Long term, he said, "we can't keep chasing rents" and a shift in strategy away from developer lead building to having local authorities lead developments is needed.
A spokesperson for the Department of Housing said: "In the last 12 months the number of people experiencing homelessness has fallen by almost 2,000. While the numbers are still far too high, progress is being made."
She said the Minister's number one priority is increasing supply, as well as a shift towards Local Authorities building new social homes and pointed to a cost-rental scheme announced in Budget 2021, which will deliver around 400 homes in 2021.
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Meanwhile, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O'Brien has said social and public housing plans "will be reassessed and readjusted" to reflect the delays due to Covid-19 restrictions.
His department reported yesterday that 700-800 houses will not be built, for every week of this current phase of Level 5 restrictions.
Yesterday the Government extended the ban on evictions until March in line with Level 5 restrictions.
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Minister O'Brien said his department is trying to ensure that activity is set to resume on 5 March, at which stage most of the construction sector will be have closed for nine weeks.
He said he cannot confirm how many of the 9,500 target for social homes will not be built.
"We're still ambitious for this year", he said.
The minister added that "very substantial pieces of rental protection" have been put in place.
"We've seen an increase in people exiting homelessness, our homeless numbers year on year are down overall nearly 20%. Child and family homelessness is down nearly 40%. So inroads are absolutely being made."
He said in relation to affordability, the Affordable Housing Bill will be going to the Dáil "in the next few weeks".
