Number of denied emergency housing applications rises, rule change blamed

Renters United says the figures make 'a mockery' of the Government's claims about emergency housing. Photo / 123RF

By Susan Edmunds of RNZ

A rule change earlier this year appears to have led to a sharp increase in the number of applications for emergency housing being declined.

In August, 10.1% of all applications were declined.

Between 2019 and the end of last year, the percentage declined in a month had never been higher than 3.8%. It has crept up through this year, rising to 5.6% in July and then jumping in August.

Just over 12% of all applications from the 34 to 44-year-old age group were declined, double the month before. Just over 4% of applications from people aged 65 to 74 were declined.

Zac Thomas, president of Renters United, said the figures “made a mockery” of the Government’s claims about emergency housing.

“Families are sleeping on the streets, in cars and under bridges because of this Government’s ideological crusade against tenants. The sharp increase in declines alongside the reintroduction of no-cause evictions will only increase homelessness in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Karen Hocking, group general manager of housing at the Ministry for Social Development (MSD), said in March, ministers announced changes to tighten the emergency housing gateway and strengthen processes for those entering emergency housing.

“This included increased scrutiny by MSD staff [regarding] whether clients applying for emergency housing had unreasonably contributed to their immediate emergency housing need.

“Following a legislative change in July, further changes were introduced in August to make sure emergency housing is for people with no other housing options. This included new responsibilities for people who are in emergency housing for more than a week.”

She said people who were in emergency housing for their eighth night must make a good effort to find other housing by looking for rentals, getting help to pay for private accommodation, or staying with whānau or friends.

They also needed to engage with a support service or budget or employment advisers where they were assigned and pay emergency housing contributions on time.

“If people do not meet these responsibilities, there are two opportunities to fix the situation before they will be declined emergency housing.”

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People would be given two written warnings and if there was a third instance, they would have their next emergency application declined, with a 13-week stand-down.

Green MP Ricardo Menendez-March said the new criteria made the bar “higher and more prohibitive”.

“People should not be left to couch-surf, live in motels or in the streets because they can’t find private rentals that are out of their reach in the midst of a housing crisis.

“The Government has made it a goal to push people out of emergency housing without slowing down the build of public housing and guaranteeing families adequate, stable housing instead.

“The Ministry of Social Development has a duty to ensure homeless people needing assistance are supported, and the Government’s prohibitive emergency housing criteria is getting in the way of providing adequate shelter.

“The Greens are calling on the Government to focus on building enough public housing and remove their new policies making access to emergency housing harder so that families have a shot at putting roots down in their community.”

- RNZ

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