New data highlights an urgent requirement for a nationally coordinated response to homelessness.
The Salvation Army says it sees a need for a coordinated response to the growing scale and severity of homelessness in New Zealand.
New data it has compiled confirms a sharp rise in housing insecurity and distress – a crisis that is being compounded by policy and service delivery issues.
The Salvation Army says the findings are drawn from the latest survey conducted under the National Homelessness Data Project, a collaborative initiative involving frontline housing and homelessness organisations across the country, including The Salvation Army, Community Housing Aotearoa, and Housing First Auckland Backbone, Kāhui Tū Kaha, Christchurch Methodist Mission, DCM, and Wellington City Mission.
The group says it acknowledges the Government’s work to date around housing and the Government’s increased engagement with the issue and the sector, following the release of the Housing & Urban Development Homelessness Insights Report.
“We all need to be working towards having enough affordable housing for everyone to live with dignity, in a warm, safe, dry home,” says Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson, mission officer for The Salvation Army’s social policy and parliamentary unit.
“Yet, what we’re seeing across our cities and regions is the impact of our housing deficit: an unparalleled disruption that’s affecting our most vulnerable people and whānau.”
The Salvation Army’s second six-monthly survey of housing support providers, along with other data related to homelessness, reveals alarming trends, it says.
‘Homelessness is increasing across nearly all communities, with no area reporting a decline.
‘Access to emergency housing is becoming increasingly restricted, with a 386 per cent rise since August 2024 in Ministry of Social Development (MSD) rejections citing that people had ‘contributed to their own homelessness’.’
The Salvation Army says MSD’s processes “are creating barriers, with survey respondents stating they see people who are confused by decisions, facing delays, or struggling to access support without advocacy”.
“Rough sleeping and people living in cars are on the rise. Single adults and older women (55 years plus) are also increasingly vulnerable, facing limited housing options and often overlooked by current prioritisation frameworks used by agencies like MSD.
“Support services are overstretched, with reduced resourcing and greater demand. A lack of wraparound support – such as mental health and addiction services, financial mentoring, and basic living skills – is making it harder for people to secure and maintain tenancies.
“These results are reinforced by data obtained through Official Information Act requests and other data sources.”
According to The Salvation Army, they include:
- One in every 1000 people in New Zealand is currently without shelter.
- Some 57,000 women are experiencing homelessness, often in unsafe or unstable living situations.
- Some 14 in every 1000 people live in housing considered uninhabitable.
- Housing is now the second most pressing concern for young adults aged 18 to 34.
- Reported crimes against people who are homeless have increased by 81 per cent.
Hutson says: “These findings confirm what our frontline teams are seeing every day – more people facing housing stress, and many struggling to access the support they need.
“An immediate response from Government is required to address immediate needs, as well as a longer-term strategy.
“At a very minimum, we need to ensure that all people who are experiencing homelessness can access a home, facilities and support.
“There are clear opportunities for constructive change. By retaining and strengthening access to emergency housing, investing in proven short, medium and long-term support services, and, with Government funding for more coordinated and consistent data collection we can better support people in need and work towards permanent solutions.”
The Salvation Army says it’s urging the Government to:
- Increase the availability of good quality housing, facilities and support services across the country.
- Review restrictions and criteria for emergency housing grants, allowing frontline discretion to avoid pushing people into homelessness.
- Invest in evidence-based proven housing programmes that address both short-term need and long-term stability, including mental health, addiction, and social support services.
- Fund and support regular national data collection through community-led research initiatives.
- Commit to a long-term, bipartisan national housing and homelessness strategy, grounded in Te Tiriti principles and supported by sustained funding.
“The National Homelessness Data Project aims to provide robust insights to support informed decision-making and lasting change,” says The Salvation Army.
“Housing is a basic human right – and ensuring access to safe, stable homes for all New Zealanders is a responsibility that must be shared across Government, communities, and society.”
