Hon Paula Bennett
Minister for Social Housing

19 October 2016
Providers sought to help at-risk tenants

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett has welcomed collaboration between the housing sector and agencies on a plan aimed at keeping at-risk tenants in their homes.

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD), Housing New Zealand Corporation and key housing sector members have come together to co-design a Sustaining Tenancies initiative in which community-based providers will work intensively with people in social housing who may be at risk of losing their tenancies because of ongoing issues.

“We understand there are vulnerable people in social housing with complex needs who need support to sustain their tenancies and break the cycle of returning to homelessness, emergency housing or insecure living arrangements,” Mrs Bennett says.

“MSD is seeking proposals from organisations who can support people to stay in their homes and, in time, be able to maintain a tenancy on their own,” Mrs Bennett says.

The Sustaining Tenancies initiative, which is due to begin early next year, will receive funding of $5 million over two years for support for about 1000 households in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

It is part of the $9 million package announced by the Government in July in the next steps of its comprehensive plan to support the most vulnerable New Zealanders’ housing needs.

“This funding will ensure that community organisations, working alongside central and local government, will be able to tackle the causes of homelessness, from employment to health factors such as addiction and mental health issues,” Mrs Bennett says.

The package has two main initiatives:

• $3 million for Housing First, an internationally proven initiative that first moves people into housing and then provides support to address the issues underpinning their homelessness. Work on this is well underway.

• $6 million for Better Housing Outcomes - $5 million for the Sustaining Tenancies Initiative and up to $1 million to support some families who could either look towards home ownership or are able to move into a private rental and free up a social house.

More information on MSD’s Request for Proposals can be found here:
https://www.gets.govt.nz/MSD/ExternalTenderDetails.htm?id=18040459

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