A new initiative aims to provide tailored support to people who have been sheltered in emergency housing for over a year, helping them transition to permanent accommodation. Wellington City Mission and Emerge Aotearoa in Waikato are the first organisations to deliver the two-year trial. Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka announced that up to 100 participants Read more
People are spending nearly a year living in emergency housing facilities in Upper Hutt as sky-high rentals, rising house prices and cost of living issues continue to bite. Figures obtained from a written Parliamentary Question from National’s Chris Bishop paint a worsening picture across much of the lower and central North Island for those seeking Read more
With summer approaching, and the borders reopened, many motel operators in Marlborough will be gearing up for a busy tourist season. And, while the prospect of visitors returning to Marlborough in their droves would be seen by many as a welcome step forward, it could mean taking a monumental step backwards for those in emergency Read more
A pregnant mother, who is expecting her fifth child and has been evicted from her home of six years, is finally breathing easily. Palmerston North mother Lisa Wesselson made a desperate plea for housing when the place she called home was suddenly not hers anymore. Toxic mould had become evident in the house her family Read more
A Catholic emergency housing provider says Government decisions are making it harder to find homes for families. The number of homeless waiting for accommodation has ballooned during the COVID-19 lockdown, says Auckland Diocese’s Monte Cecilia Trust. A spokesperson says the shortage is a result of the Government scrapping ‘redirect’ contracts. These contracts saw community housing Read more
As the emergency housing crisis deepens, moteliers are running for the hills. As at March 31, there were 4368 children living in motels across the country – up by 480 in three months. At the end of December there were 3888 children in motels. There were 465 children in motels for less than four weeks Read more
A social housing provider is demanding the government provide full wrap-around support to everyone living in emergency accommodation. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today indicated on Morning Report a commitment to ramping up support for those living in motels. Demand for emergency accommodation has exploded in recent years with the government now spending nearly a million Read more
Our emergency housing situation seems to be at breaking point and the Government is being told to do more to solve the crisis. Green Party co-leader and associate housing minister Marama Davidson has come out saying some of our emergency housing is inhumane. She also says the way money is handed out to hotels, with Read more
Emergency housing group Monte Cecilia Trust’s Bernie Smith says the Government promised “transformational change,” but that hasn’t happened. Instead, the housing crisis has worsened. “At the moment we’re getting 20 to 30 calls per day. A year ago, it was 10 to 15 calls per week,” he told TVNZ’s Breakfast this morning. “A year ago, Read more