Mr. Brian Harvey:

I will reply to the question raised by Deputy Barry on why people are becoming homeless. A year ago, my colleague, Dr. Cathy Walsh, and I did a study for the Housing Agency on why families were becoming homeless. The question has a certain artificiality for many homeless people. In some cases landlords said they wanted to increase the rent and they knew the tenants could not afford it. In other cases they stated they needed the property for a relative or that they wanted to renovate the property. The point is the tenants do not know. In some renovation cases the tenants have said they went past the house and it was not being renovated. In these cases even though renovation may be the stated reason a rent increase and a desire to get in a higher paying tenant may actually be the reason.

The reason tenants feel so powerless in this situation is a critical one that is not often mentioned. The most important thing a leaving tenant needs from a former landlord is a letter of reference. If tenants argue they will not get a letter of reference. Arguing about why they are being put out is not something tenants want to do because a letter of reference for their next potential landlord is absolutely the most precious thing they can get.