But one in five leaving emergency housing remain untracked
The government has announced that its emergency housing target has been achieved five years ahead of schedule, but concerns remain about the unknown whereabouts of 20% of those leaving emergency accommodation.
Associate housing minister Tama Potaka (pictured above) revealed on Friday that the goal of reducing the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75% by 2030 had already been met.
Official data shows a significant drop in households in motels, from 3,141 in December 2023 to just 591 in December 2024.
“This means thousands of tamariki who were previously consigned with their whānau to grow up in dank motel rooms are now living in better homes,” Potaka said. “Homes where they have a better opportunity for regular school attendance, to maintain enrolment with local health services, and to enjoy all the other benefits of having a stable home in a community.”
Potaka attributed the achievement to an increase in social housing availability, with priority given to families with children who had been in emergency housing for 12 weeks or longer.
“Emergency housing will always be available as a last resort for those who need it, and it’s important we continue monitoring the availability and use of emergency housing to ensure we stay on target,” he said.
Policy changes also contributed to the reduction, including stricter eligibility criteria for accessing emergency housing and a warning system for individuals not meeting their obligations while staying in such accommodations.
However, while 80% of those leaving emergency housing moved into social, transitional, or private housing with government support like the Accommodation Supplement, the remaining 20% remain unaccounted for.
Potaka acknowledged that providers do not require individuals to disclose their next steps, making it difficult to track where these people have gone.
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