Homeless ‘crisis’ in Wellington
2020 was meant to be the year that homelessness ended in the capital . . .
This was meant to be the year that homelessness ended in Wellington.
But despite an ambitious multiagency plan, advocates say the problem is getting worse every year.
Wellington City Council’s Te Mahana homelessness strategy was launched in 2014 with the goal of eliminating homelessness by 2020.
But ever since it began, the plan has been handicapped by a lack of available houses.
‘‘It’s a crisis of very significant proportion,’’ said Stephanie McIntyre, of Downtown Community Ministry.
‘‘It’s worse than last year, it’s a worsening situation every year. We thought we had a significant issue in 2014 but its much worse now.’’
The ministry reported 151 rough sleepers seeking help in 2015, a number that is closer to 300 now.
McIntyre emphasised that there was no strictly reliable method for generating homelessness data.
Visibly homeless rough sleepers make up only a fraction of the total homeless population, which can include people couch-surfing and those in overcrowded homes.
At any given time, there are about 60 to 80 rough sleepers in Wellington but as many as 3000 who are transient or in non-permanent accommodation.
The Ministry of Social Development handed out $560,889 in emergency housing grants in 2018. That number more than tripled to nearly $1.9 million in 2019.
Te Mahana, like the Government’s Housing First initiative, aims to get homeless people into temporary accommodation immediately, and then support them to make a self-determined choice for permanent housing. The first objective of the plan was to source ‘‘a diverse range of affordable and appropriate accommodation’’.
But Wellington’s housing crisis has meant finding that accommodation has been a constant struggle.
‘‘Housing First is a good plan, but it’s premised on housing,’’ McIntyre said. ‘‘We can’t deliver on it because we don’t have the housing options.
‘‘Most of the very vulnerable people we see are single adults but . . . we’re struggling to even get onebedroom accommodation.’’
Even temporary housing has been difficult to get people into.
Pamela Waugh, of the Salvation Army, said their temporary housing for families, which the organisation runs through the Ministry of Social Development, had been at a constant 94 per cent occupancy and houses
‘‘It’s a worsening situation every year.’’
Stephanie McIntyre
Downtown Community Ministry
were rarely empty for more than a week. ‘‘It’s much worse than it was five years ago, there’s a lot more demand.’’
Council figures for 2016 showed street outreach teams dealt with 148 homeless people, 60 of whom were rough sleeping.
Twenty-four were transitioned into Housing New Zealand homes, and another nine were housed in council homes.
Despite issues accessing houses, McIntyre said Te Mahana plan, which co-ordinated council, government, and charity organisations, had improved the quality of services for those who were able to be housed.
‘‘The people we see have tragic backstories. Many have come through foster care, they have mental health issues, long-term problems with drugs and alcohol. They’re traumatised, and they have very complex needs.
‘‘We can wrap services around them. We can get them healthcare and dental care but we just can’t get houses. We’ve got more resources and wrap-around support but no bricks and mortar.’’
A Wellington City Council spokesperson said there was a ‘‘considerable decrease in [homelessness] numbers when individuals are under case management’’.
‘‘Unfortunately, the shortage of suitable accommodation has limited the ability to house Housing First clients.
‘‘While there is always room for improvement, Wellington has made great progress in taking a sector wide collaborative approach.’’
In the 2019 Budget, $197 million was dedicated to Housing First, which includes promised accommodation for 150 people, expected to be rolled out by 2022.