Friday 3 June 2016
Homelessness accelerates between censuses
At least one in every 100 New Zealanders were homeless at the latest census in 2013, compared with 1 in 120 in 2006, and
1 in 130 in 2001, say University of Otago, Wellington (UOW) researchers.
UOW researcher Dr Kate Amore, from the Health Research Council-funded He Kainga Oranga/Housing and Health Research
Programme, measured the ‘severely housing deprived’ population.
“Homelessness is worsening in New Zealand in terms of both numbers and as a proportion of the population. This upward
trend accelerated between the 2006 and 2013 censuses, compared with the 2001 and 2006 period,” Dr Amore says.
“If the homeless population were a hundred people, 70 are staying with extended family or friends in severely crowded
houses, 20 are in a motel, boarding house or camping ground, and 10 are living on the street, in cars, or in other
improvised dwellings. They all urgently need affordable housing.”
“The Government needs to develop a comprehensive housing strategy that recognises the fundamental importance of good
quality, low-cost homes. New affordable houses are understandably not being provided by private developers. Housing for
all is essential to New Zealander’s health and wellbeing as well as the country’s prosperity.
If no government action is taken this crisis is likely to deepen.”
These numbers are based on the official New Zealand definition of homelessness developed by Statistics New Zealand,
Housing New Zealand and the Ministry of Social Development.
These numbers do not include those living in emergency accommodation such as night shelters. This group will be the
subject of a subsequent report.
More detailed homelessness statistics for 2013 will be published later in June 2016 on the University of Otago website.
The latest study was funded by a Lottery grant and follows an Official Statistics Programme report published in 2013, Severe housing deprivation: The problem and its measurement, available from www.statisphere.govt.nz.
ENDS