The government is expanding support for rough sleepers after announcing immediate steps to facilitate stable housing.
In a joint statement, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka said the government would be implementing five immediate actions.
"Homelessness has been a problem in New Zealand for decades. It is rooted in our broken housing system, and becomes more severe during challenging economic times," Bishop said.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka at today's announcement. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
"It's very difficult to get accurate numbers of people living without shelter because people in these circumstances often move around and avoid engaging with government services, but it's clear that rough sleeping is a genuine problem.
"The government already spends more than half a billion dollars annually on a range of homelessness support programmes, including transitional housing, Housing First, Rapid Rehousing and emergency housing, among others. When added to social housing, the Accommodation Supplement and Temporary Additional Support, we spend more than $5 billion annually on housing support. But we can and will do more for rough sleepers."
Bishop said the government will take five immediate actions aimed at supporting rough sleepers into stable housing.
These include:
- Expanding the Housing First Programme with an additional 300 social homes.
- Provide $10 million additional funding for support services for people sleeping rough.
- Increase the efficiency of transitional housing.
- MSD assess all beneficiaries going into social homes for good cause to redirect their benefit to contribute to accommodation costs.
- Encourage Ministry of Social Development (MSD) staff to use greater discretion when assessing emergency housing applications.
Bishop said the government first had to expand the Housing First programme.
"Housing First is a successful programme, started under the previous National-led government, which supports people experiencing chronic homelessness into permanent housing. It also provides tailored support to help people live in the home and build a better life.
"Housing First delivers results - but it there are still a lot of people identified within the Housing First programme in need of stable housing. So today we can announce that the government will fund an additional 300 social homes for Housing First, effective immediately. The focus for these additional social homes will be rough sleepers."
Potaka said the second action was to provide $10 million additional funding for support services for people sleeping rough.
Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
"The third action, which is already underway, is work to increase the efficiency of transitional housing," he said.
"This means making sure that we have the right transitional housing properties in the right locations and with the right providers to ensure we can better support demand.
"There could be some rebalancing of places towards providers who have demonstrated an ability and willingness to work with rough sleepers."
Potaka said the fourth action was for MSD to assess all beneficiaries going into the social homes for good cause to redirect their benefit to contribute to accommodation costs.
"Most people in social housing pay a contribution of 25 percent of their income," he said.
"Beneficiaries in social housing can choose to pay this through a direct deduction from their benefit - but many choose not to.
"Non-payment of rent over a sustained period can eventually result in tenancy termination and homelessness. Implementing a redirection where good cause exists was a recommendation from a frontline homelessness provider."
The fifth action was to encourage MSD staff to use greater discretion when assessing emergency housing applications.
Potaka said the government was "committed to delivering the right homes, in the right places, with the right supports for rough sleepers.
"These five actions will help to deliver on this commitment."
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