Homelessness in New Zealand

A homeless encampment in Dunedin's Kensington Oval in June 2025.

Homelessness in New Zealand has been linked to the general issue of lack of suitable housing.[1] The homeless population is generally measured through the country's census and by universities and other academic centres. According to the 2023 Census severe housing deprivation estimates released by Stats NZ in December 2024, approximately 112,496 people, or 2.3% of the population, were severely housing deprived. This represented an increase from the 2018 estimate of 99,462 individuals, or 2.1% of the population.[2][3][4]

Definitions and services

Statistical authorities in New Zealand have expanded their definition of homelessness to include "people living in improvised shelters", "people staying in camping grounds/motor camps" and "people sharing accommodation with someone else's household".[5] Services representing the sector include the New Zealand Coalition to End Homelessness (NZCEH).[6]

History

The issue is believed to have become increasingly visible in recent years.[1] Media in New Zealand have published an accusatory account of the presence of homeless people in public spaces, positioning homeless men as disruptive threats. Though community members have shown support though writing opinion pieces.[7]

During the 2010s, homelessness was reported to occur in parts of Central Auckland including the Auckland Domain, Birkenhead, Northcote, Grey Lynn, Glen Eden, Mangere, Manurewa and Papakura. These included individuals living in tents in the Domain and people residing in their vehicles. Key drivers included escaping domestic violence, poverty, substance abuse and being evicted from social housing.[8][9][10] The The Salvation Army's Alan Johnson said that the number of homeless in Auckland had increased between 2013 and 2018 due to the city's housing market and drug proliferation.[10] In 2016, the Auckland City Mission estimated there were 177 rough sleepers living within 3 km of the Sky Tower and another 51 in emergency accommodation.[10] In 2017, the Auckland Council estimated there were 23,409 homeless people within Auckland city.[10] According to the Auckland Council and Housing First Auckland Collective's "Homeless Count," 3,674 people were homeless in Auckland (including both rough sleepers and those in temporary accommodation).[9] In May 2019, "Homeless Count" estimated there were 800 rough sleepers in Auckland per night.[9]

In late January 2019, the New York Times reported rising housing prices to be a major factor in the increasing homelessness in New Zealand so that "smaller markets like Tauranga, a coastal city on the North Island with a population of 128,000, had seen an influx of people who had left Auckland in search of more affordable housing. Average property values in Tauranga had risen to $497,000 from $304,000 in the last five years, and Demographia now rated it among the 10 least affordable cities in the world — along with famously expensive locales such as Hong Kong, San Francisco, Sydney and Vancouver, British Columbia."[11]

In mid August 2019, the Associate Housing Minister Kris Faafoi and Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced that the Government would be launching a NZ$54 million program to tackle homelessness in New Zealand. This includes investing $31 million over the next four years for 67 intensive case managers and navigators to work with homeless people and a further $16 million for the Sustaining Tenancies Programme. This funding complements the Government's Housing First programme.[12][13]

In mid December 2023, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development estimated that 1,500 people out of Dunedin's 135,000 residents were homeless and expressed concerns that the figure could double. The Otago Daily Times reported that the city was facing a shortage of social housing including population growth, a shortage of affordable tenancies and the Dunedin Night Shelter's limited capacity.[14] By mid-May 2024, Dunedin's homelessness problem had led to the emergence of a tent encampment consisting of 11-22 tents in Kensington Oval, a large open sports field.[15] On 15 May 2024, Mayor of Dunedin Jules Radich proposed turning the Aaron Lodge Holiday Park, which is owned by housing provider Kāinga Ora, into social housing for homeless people.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Homelessness 'a national problem'". Radio NZ. 28 March 2016.
  2. ^ "More New Zealanders estimated to be severely housing deprived". Xinhua. 4 December 2024.
  3. ^ Winton, Joseph (17 February 2025). "Ministry of Housing and Urban Development" (PDF). hud.govt.nz. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  4. ^ "Worsening unemployment, hunger and homelessness in New Zealand". World Socialist Web Site. 21 February 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  5. ^ Busch-Geertsema, Volker. "Defining and measuring homelessness." Homelessness Research in Europe: Festschrift for Bill Edgar and Joe Doherty (2010): 19–39.
  6. ^ "Home". New Zealand Coalition to End Homelessness. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  7. ^ Hodgetts, Darrin, Ottilie Stolte, Kerry Chamberlain, Alan Radley, Linda Nikora, Eci Nabalarua, and Shiloh Groot. "A trip to the library: Homelessness and social inclusion." Social & Cultural Geography 9, no. 8 (2008): 933–953.
  8. ^ Beaton, Sophia; Cain, Trudie; Robinson, Helen; Hearn, Victoria (January 2015). An insight into the experience of rough sleeping in Central Auckland (PDF) (Report). Auckland: Lifewise, Auckland Council, Auckland City Mission, Think Place. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  9. ^ a b c Dillane, Tom (5 September 2019). "'Rather be lost than found': Homeless camping in the Domain". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d Saxton, Amanda; Kilgallon, Steve; Dudding, Adam; Fonseka, Dileepa; Carter, Charlotte; Foxcroft, Debrin; Tokalau-Chandra, Torika; McGhie, Julie (August 2018). "This is rough: Aucklanders living without proper shelter". Stuff. Archived from the original on 14 April 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  11. ^ Graham-Mclay, Charlotte (31 January 2019). "New Zealand Vowed 100,000 New Homes to Ease Crunch. So Far It Has Built 47". New York Times.
  12. ^ Jancic, Boris (18 August 2019). "Government announces $54 million to help keep people off the streets". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Government's new $54m homelessness scheme long overdue, housing official admits". 1News. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  14. ^ Williams, Mary (14 December 2023). "Homelessness' perfect storm". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Dunedin's homeless and rough sleepers erect growing tent encampment". RNZ. 16 May 2024. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  16. ^ Williams, Mary (16 May 2024). "Holiday park idea floated for homeless". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.

Further reading

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