Lauren Masterson was hailed a front line hero during her time spent working at the covid vaccination centre in Greystones during the pandemic. The mother of 2 now sleeps in her car.
Users of local Open Forums will have seen Laurens pleas over the last number of months as she apologised for repeating her post and outlined her need for housing for herself and her 2 children, (14, 7).
Despite having a budget of €2300, landlord references, character references, deposit and her first months rent ready to go, she could not secure a standard 3 bedroom home for herself and her children. In order to give her children some stability, she has had to split her family up, her children staying with relative as she camps out overnight in her car.
The Bray woman who is training as a nurse is currently on a paid internship at a psychiatric hospital is completely disillusioned by a system which is failing her. She says her own mental health is suffering due to the constant worry and strain of being without a home and not knowing what the next day holds.
Lauren, will celebrate her 41st Birthday this week living from her car. She had contacted a loal TD for assistance a number of months ago and is still awaiting a response to her desperate mail asking where she can access support.
Unfortunately Lauren is not alone and every day sees families on local forums across the county seeking homes. Working families with references and funds looking for standard family homes. Nothing fancy, nothing for free, just a family home for a fair price.
