Auckland Council’s Role in Addressing Homelessness The Community Empowerment Unit and Community and Social Policy Teams, Auckland Council

Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city families (43 per cent) are the most brief and non-recurring. There was with a population of just over affected groups. Pacific people are commitment to develop a cross- 1.6 million. Auckland seeks to be a ten times, and Māori five times more sectoral regional strategy to address world class, inclusive city that likely than Europeans to be homelessness. celebrates its unique Māori culture homeless. Other groups who are and rich diversity. It is an attractive affected include rainbow youth, At the meeting, Councillor Cathy place to live, welcoming around people with mental health problems, Casey, a long-time advocate for 45,000 new Aucklanders each year. those who have experienced family addressing homelessness issues said violence or been in state care, and Auckland Council should be proud of At the same time, rapid population inmates on release from prison. the work it is doing. growth presents many challenges including a major housing shortage Homelessness is a complex issue. ‘This council has placed homelessness as population growth exceeds It results from multi-layered structural high on its agenda and continues to housing supply and increases and individual factors including work on ways it can support solutions pressure on infrastructure. Housing national policy settings and economic to this growing need. affordability, for rent or purchase, is conditions, immigration, access to declining, and there is significant health and social services, ‘We have agreed to up our game with unmet demand for social, affordable discrimination, family violence, a regional strategy for addressing and emergency housing. employment and poor health. homelessness in Auckland and will be The housing market is also a key a strong voice advocating for the Homelessness is a growing reality in driver with high levels of unmet government to do more to meet its Auckland for many individuals and demand for social and affordable obligations to some of its most families, including those in housing. This is highlighted by recent vulnerable citizens,’ she said. employment. estimates that the New Zealand Government will spend $50 million This decision builds on current activity Statistics New Zealand’s definition of nationally on emergency housing and will help to strengthen cross- homelessness includes those (such as motels) in 12 months. sectoral collaboration and leverage sleeping rough, in temporary investment across the sector. accommodation, sharing temporarily As housing supply pressures increase, Auckland’s 30 year spatial plan, The or living in uninhabitable dwellings. people with fewer risk factors face Auckland Plan, has largely guided Between the 2006 and the 2013 homelessness. A single risk factor or activity to date and includes priorities census the level of homelessness event, such as a job loss, illness, the and targets relating to affordable across the Auckland region increased end of a relationship or debt, can be housing and homelessness. by 26 per cent. Based on the average the trigger. The housing shortage increase between censuses, and means that people endure An Insight into the Experience excluding all other factors, homelessness more often and for of Rough Sleeping in Central homelessness could stand at 23,409 longer, and achieving sustainable Auckland in 2017 and 26,522 by 2021. housing can be difficult. In January 2015, Auckland Council along with Auckland City Mission, Auckland City Mission’s 2016 annual Policy Position on Council’s Lifewise and Thinkplace completed a street count of rough sleepers within Role in Homelessness research project on the experience of three kilometres of the Sky Tower, Auckland Council recognised the rough sleeping in central Auckland. found 177 and a further 51 in need to determine its role and The research revealed insights from emergency accommodation or position in addressing homelessness, both people who had first-hand hospital who would otherwise have including emergency housing. experience of sleeping rough as well been on the street. This was an annual as from members of the public. increase of over 50 per cent. In August 2017, the Council’s Environment and Community The research identified many issues, Nationally, low-income households, Committee resolved to take a particularly in relation to safety and children and young people stronger and more aspirational wellbeing, and how access to health (51 per cent), and sole parent approach where homelessness is rare, and social services could be made 32 easier. The research also drew emergency housing, homelessness people who are sleeping rough. attention to the ways in which the lives and rough sleeping responses across The much needed refurbishment of those who sleep rough intersect Auckland. Response initiatives include will be complete by mid-2018. with others who use public spaces the regional outreach services around central Auckland. operated by the Auckland City Auckland Council’s investment to Mission and the Salvation Army address homelessness continues in Auckland Council Steps up Waitakere in west Auckland; the 2017 with the Mayoral Proposal in the Response to Homelessness development of a homelessness Annual Budget 2017/2018, which In March 2017, the Ministry of Social services website; and enhanced prioritised $500,000 to promote Development (MSD) made funding coordination of the emergency collaboration between agencies available for Housing First in housing sector. across the sector to address chronic Auckland. ‘Housing First’ is founded homelessness. on the principle that permanent, Enhancing the city centre’s public secure, safe housing is a basic human amenities, including shower and toilet A Coordinated Multi-agency right for all. The model recognises provision, has the potential to Response that it is easier for people to address considerably enhance dignity and At present, Auckland Council issues such as mental health and wellbeing for the rough sleeping convenes the multi-agency Rough substance abuse once they are community. The council’s current Sleeping Steering Group which meets housed. The priority is to quickly approach to the provision of public monthly to circuit-break issues move people into appropriate amenities is being investigated to relating to rough sleeping. The focus housing and then immediately identify opportunities to enhance of this group is to provide strategic provide wrap-around services to delivery and outcomes for all city responses to rough sleeping, support their success. centre users. originally in the city centre. The development of the city centre Auckland Mayor Phil Goff participated In June 2016, Te Puea Marae in south Housing First programme was a main in the annual Lifewise ‘Big Sleepout’ Auckland first opened its doors to goal of this group and key members and says homelessness is a growing homeless whanau for 12 weeks were part of the project design group. blight on our city with increasing during the winter months and As levels of rough sleeping have numbers of people sleeping rough in generated regional and national increased across the region, the the city centre and suburbs. He says it debate about the issue of group has taken a wider geographical represents a huge social and human homelessness. Auckland Council focus. Additional support is provided cost which needs to be addressed. provided financial and in-kind on the ground to connect different support. parts of the sector, enhance ‘The council is working with central collaboration and coordinate delivery government and non-government In August 2016, the council agreed of enhanced outcomes for homeless. organisations to progress a Housing a contribution of $2 million to First policy. This aims to first house upgrade the emergency Homelessness is a complex issue the homeless and to also provide accommodation provided at James which requires a planned and support services to tackle the cause Liston Hostel. This facility provides coordinated cross-sectoral response. which led to them being homeless,’ emergency accommodation for Development and implementation of says Mayor Goff. the cross-sectoral homelessness strategy will require a coordinated Auckland Council has contributed approach involving central an additional $1 million to support government, local government, delivery of the Housing First non-government organisations, Auckland pilot. It is operated philanthropic organisations and through a collective of five the private sector. The strategy community social housing will focus on responding to the providers, including: Lifewise, immediate needs of homeless Auckland City Mission, Kāhui Tū people, along with ending and Kaha (formerly Affinity Services), preventing all forms of Link People and Vision West. homelessness.

The pilot has funding for two years. Please forward any questions or The initiative aims to support 572 enquiries to: chronically homeless people into Amanda Kelly, Specialist Advisor, permanent accommodation and to Community Empowerment Unit, sustain their tenancy. Their vision is Arts, Community and Events to make homelessness rare, brief Mobile 021 805367 and nonrecurring. [email protected] Amy Donovan, Specialist Advisor, In addition under the long-term Community Empowerment Unit, Plan 2015–2025, the governing Arts, Community and Events body approved $830,000 funding Mobile 021 837 495 over a three year period for Waterfall by Fraser Hoffe [email protected] 33