Collective welcomes social funding for homeless

Support services say it is “heartening” the government has stepped up to strengthen their fight against homelessness in Auckland.

Housing First Auckland Collective programme manager Fiona Hamilton said the initiative was just what was needed to get people into sustained accommodation.

“With collaborative long-term strategies, Auckland can again be the city many of us still hold in our heart, a city where it was extremely rare to see anyone sleeping unsheltered,” Ms Hamilton said in a statement.

The funding boost of $54 million was announced by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) on Sunday, promising wrap around services to prevent homelessness for those at risk including intensive case management and increased social services.

The MSD has identified a group of people facing complex issues that may disadvantage them from finding or keeping a home of their own, such as addictions, criminal history and domestic violence.

Housing First said that wider factors such as intergenerational trauma and colonisation also contributed to the risk of homelessness.

“It is very heartening to see this move by the government to provide upstream support to sustain tenancies and prevent homelessness,” said Ms Hamilton.

A spokesperson for Gratis Auckland free store, a café which redistributes surplus food to the Karangahape Road community, is positive about the change this funding will bring.

“I think it’s so cool to see the government taking really tangible steps towards putting their money where their mouth is and showing that they care,” Lydia Hollister-Jones said.

“For people who are feeling like they’re on the edge, like they’re one pay-cheque, one bad thing happening or one big bill away from homelessness, this is life-changing,” she said.

But, Ms Hamilton cautioned that there was still a long way to go to secure all Aucklanders in long term housing.

“Homelessness is not going to be solved overnight – in the same way it didn’t start overnight,” she said.