Concerned with the increasing housing need and problem of access to appropriate and secure accommodation for all people, the four voluntary organizations, Focus Ireland, Simon Communities of Ireland, Society of St Vincent de Paul and Threshold came together to carry out a major research project, the first of its kind, analyzing the Homeless Action Plans and Housing Strategies. The research examined the 33 housing strategies and 20 homeless action plans available as of June 2002, emphasizing what these documents revealed about the housing and accommodation problems faced by disadvantaged social groups and the policies proposed in response. We believe that the analysis of these critical social issues and policies are particularly important at this time in view of the rapidly deteriorating housing and homelessness situation confronting people on low incomes over recent years. With rents escalating and local authority waiting lists lengthening, low-income and vulnerable households are being forced into inappropriate, often sub-standard accommodation or into homelessness.