Govt boost means homeless crisis ‘easing but not over’

Auckland’s homeless crisis is easing with the help of the Government’s $100 million intervention but is not yet over, support workers say.

Auckland’s Homeless Count on September 17 found 336 people living in the city without shelter, with organisers then estimating the true number to be more like 800 people.

A further 2874 people — including 1299 children — were also in temporary emergency housing.

The tally was lower than some had expected, with estimates before the count often putting it in the thousands and calling it a “crisis”.

Government action to get as many people as possible off the streets over winter met most of the goals set to boost the number of transitional and state houses available.

Housing First Collective chief executive Fiona Hamilton agreed this had been a help, but said the number of people still on the streets or in temporary houses was “significant”.

It follows on from the Government’s promise in May to pump $100m into tackling homelessness.

This included $63.4m to expand and provide ongoing cash to support the Housing First programme — which puts chronically homeless people into permanent housing — and $37m to be spent during the winter to urgently increase housing supply.

It delivered 684 extra transitional housing places — 268 above its target — while falling just short of other goals with 33 extra Housing First homes in Tauranga and Christchurch and 1047 extra public housing tenancies.

It also provided 1144 Auckland families and tenants with 4099 grants valued at almost $6m during the June quarter, allowing them to pay for emergency housing in places of their choosing, such as motels.

South Auckland’s Te Puea Memorial Marae chairman Hurimoana Dennis agreed progress was being made but Bernie Smith of community housing developer Monte Cecilia Housing Trust said growing numbers of people found it too hard to afford rentals in the open market.

“Rents are increasing but salaries aren’t keeping up with them.”