€10k lifeline for Irish pensioner as vulture fund sale leaves her facing homelessness

A local County Council have been urged to ‘think outside the box’ to keep an Irish pensioner due to be made homeless at the end of the month in her local community.

The Mayo woman, who is in her 60s and lives alone, is due to be made homeless at the end of March after the home she has lived in for the last 15 years was purchased by a ‘vulture fund’ and she was given notice to quit the property.

For the last ten months, she has been searching without success for alternative accommodation in her locality. She now faces the prospect of moving to emergency homeless accommodation in Charlestown provided by Mayo County Council.

Áine Maguire, who lives in Lecanvey and is a friend of the pensioner, told The Mayo News that it is ‘inhumane’ and ‘cruel’ for this woman to have to move to the other side of the county and she is looking for ways to help her.

“She has been looking and knocking on every door without success for the last ten months. As she is on the HAP [Housing Assistance Payment] scheme she has to find a one- or two-bedroom place, but they are not available.

“She wasn’t sitting back and allowing this to happen, but all the council say to her is they don’t have anything and she has to go to Charlestown. To me that does not seem feasible or fair to remove someone of her age from her community where she is part of the society. She is well known and liked and very involved in the community and it seems so inhumane. I got very upset about it,” she said.

Site needed for mobile

In an effort to keep the woman in her community, Áine set up a GoFundMe page online in the hope of purchasing a mobile home for her friend to live in. Thanks to an anonymous donation of €10,000, Áine believes she will have enough money to purchase a mobile home – but she now needs a site on which to place it.

She is urging Mayo County Council or a private individual to help her ensure that her friend does not have to leave her community.

“We need the local authority to think outside the box to help this woman. I have been knocking on doors and no luck yet, but I have faith in the local community.

“If I can get someone with anywhere to rent between Roonagh and Newport along the edges of Clew Bay to come forward even for say three months to give her a little bit of extra time to find somewhere more concrete. We want to keep her tied to the community. This should not happen to older people. It is so wrong. I know there are many homeless people in Co Mayo but we cannot let this happen to our local people,” she pleaded.

Vulnerable situation

Áine explained that her friend has been living in the Louisburgh area for close to 20 years but does not have any family support close by and the local community is all she knows. She said that she speaks to her every day and the thought of moving away is having a negative impact on her mental health.

“Without question her mental health will suffer and it already is. I don’t want people to think of her as an elderly lady because she is a fighter and strong but no one can take this amount of stress.

“Just think of the logistics of it. She will have to move to Charlestown so what is she to do with all her stuff and how does she pack things up. Does she just bring a small bag with her? It is inhumane to cut someone off from their community. I think it is terrible and cruel.

“She is on her own and no matter how strong a woman you are, this puts you in a very vulnerable situation. It is not an easy place to be for your mental health.”

Áine added that she called her GoFundMe campaign, ‘A Woman’s Hearth’, and she hopes that in the future the mobile home will be able to help other vulnerable women who are made homeless.

“Once she is housed, the mobile home will be available for another woman in a similar situation.

“Women on their own, no matter how strong, are left vulnerable and alone when facing homelessness. We can help, one person at a time.”

To assist Áine Maguire, contact her by emailing maguire.aine@icloud.com.

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