One third of 3,186 applicants for social housing declared they had to share accommodation with others (866) or were homeless (281), Family and Social Solidarity Minister Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said in Parliament.

The homeless problem is more focused on Valletta and Paola (25 cases each), with Birkirkara (21) and Cospicua (13) following up.

As for those sharing accommodation with others, Valletta again tops the list with 57 cases, just one more than Cospicua. Forty-eight hail from Birkirkara and 40 from Żabbar.

Answering questions by Nationalist MP Ċensu Galea, Ms Coleiro Preca said there were also 604 cases of people asking for social accommodation due to high rent.

She also said that between April 15 and September 27, Housing authority officials had carried out 438 inspections.

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