The availability of housing in Iryna is a major factor in resident quality of life. Despite rapid urban development, Iryna's population continues to exceed the amount of available living space.
Irynians tend to move regularly as jobs and relationships shift over time, with no obligation to stay for a set lease period. Residences are always pre-furnished, with residents supplying decor and personal belongings. Owning large household items such as furniture and appliances is a mark of extreme wealth and luxury. Household infrastructure like showers, sinks, washing machines, etc. must be connected to the water utility system and so remain inside the residence regardless of who resides there. However, magitech appliances like ovens, fridges, lights, fans, etc. have arcane power cores that allow them to function independently, so they may be moved from residence to residence by their owners. Transporting furniture through Iryna's crowded streets is seen by its residents as an unnecessary hassle. The furnishings already inside a residence are often an important consideration for Irynians when selecting a new place to move, but are rarely a dealbreaker.
All city property is managed by District Housing Authorities, which handle maintenance and collection of residency fees. With fees always on the rise, Irynians live in spaces that many residents of other islands would find unbearably cramped or lacking in privacy. However, Irynians do have some options for how they wish to cohabitate. The following are the most common arragements:
Iryna's total unsheltered population is roughly estimated to be 1,296 persons, or 0.077% of the total resident population of 1,680,000. In addition, an estimated 3,888 persons live in unstable or temporary housing, for a total approximate homeless population of 5,184. At least 72 unsheltered persons have never had housing in their lives. At least 609 are under 16; their guardianship status is often unclear. Many unsheltered persons can be found in commercial areas such as Oceanview and North Heights, or open spaces such as Highpark and public squares in Parliament Park, but are present in every district except for Upper Old Iryna, whose wealthy residents are hostile to the homeless population. Whether Irynians living in hostels are considered to be homeless is an unanswered question for city officials; some Irynians are able to find long-term stability in hostel housing, while others must search for an open hostel bed every night.
The homeless population is not a monolith - each homeless individual has devised their own way to survive without permanent housing. However, some have built communities and pooled their limited resources to create a safer environment for their fellows, the most prominent being the raft city. The population of the raft city is constantly in flux as newly-homeless residents arrive and former residents find housing. About 120 persons live in the raft city on a long-term basis, half of whom are under 16. Most of these children are enrolled in Oceanview schools, but truancy is common. The occupancy of individual raft-houses is also flexible; new arrivals are offered any raft-house with open availability, with pre-existing family units prioritized for shared residency.
As a former resident of the raft city herself, current Champion Madeleine has pledged to make homelessness relief a priority for the Irynian government, in collaboration with Governor Neeka.