People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll has met with the Extern team in Belfast, following news of the charity's planned move to new premises on King Street.
Speaking after the meeting, Carroll said:
"I want to pay tribute to Extern's Homeless Support Team. With just over a dozen members of staff, they support at least 900 people every year who are facing or threatened with homelessness, including families with children and young people leaving care. That is extraordinary work, delivered in the depths of a housing emergency this Executive has failed to tackle.”
"Unfortunately, there has been a lot of misinformation about this move. It will be a new office base for the Homeless Support Service team, whose work is largely delivered through outreach across the city, with people attending the office by appointment.”
"Extern have been searching for suitable premises for over a year now. Services like this must be accessible to the people who rely on them, and that means being in the city centre. Pushing homelessness services to the margins doesn’t make the problem disappear - it only makes help harder to find.”
"Organisations like Extern are providing real solutions to the homelessness, addiction and poverty plaguing working-class communities. They are not the problem. The problem is a decades-long failure to build social homes, and a system that leaves thousands of families in temporary accommodation while private landlords profit.”
"It is particularly disappointing to see misinformation peddled by politicians who work in this sector and who should know better. People seeking help with housing are not a threat to children. Many are parents themselves. Treating them as a danger only deepens the stigma that stops people reaching out for help.”
"Extern take safeguarding extremely seriously. They are a long-established, well-respected organisation that has delivered this service for almost 30 years, and the sector is firmly behind their move to King Street.”
"Every child in this city deserves the best possible opportunities, and every person facing homelessness deserves support. These are not competing goals. Instead of stoking fear, people should direct their anger at an Executive that has let the housing crisis spiral out of control."