Latest news with #emergencyhousing
RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
More Pasifika households denied emergency housing
Manaaki Rangatahi marked World Homeless Day 2024 on October 10 with impactful art activations led and inspired by rangatahi. Photo: Manaaki Rangatahi A new report on homelessness in Aotearoa shows more Pasifika families were denied emergency housing due to ineligibility than were accepted in the month of March. Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga - Ministry of Housing and Urban Development - has published its latest insights report, dated June 2025 . The report said there were 60 Pacific peoples' households in emergency housing in March 2025, while 75 Pacific peoples' households were denied. Read more: "An emergency housing grant decline represents an application that has been processed and considered ineligible," the report said. "The number of declines should not be considered representative of unmet demand for services, as we do not know the level of need that does not progress to a processed application." It said where people are declined emergency housing assistance, the Ministry of Social Development may provide other options, such as a referral to transitional housing, or housing support products that provide financial assistance. When it comes to Housing First clients in Auckland, nearly half the households waiting had a primary client who is Māori, while over a quarter (26.7 percent) are Pasifika. Housing First supports people living without shelter, with high or complex needs, to access and maintain stable housing and address trauma and other challenges. The report said the ethnicity comparisons are based on the primary client rather than the overall household - for example, there could be a household of Pasifika, but if the primary applicant identifies as Māori, that will be recorded. For Māori - who make up more than half of emergency housing clients - the number of households with a Māori primary client granted emergency housing was approximately 380 granted to 260 declined. A household can also be granted emergency housing and declined emergency housing in the same month. Census data suggests there were at least 112,500 people in Aotearoa who were severely housing deprived on 7 March 2023, including 4965 people estimated to be living without shelter. "However, the data and observations we have collated from around the country indicate this has increased," the report said.
RNZ News
23-07-2025
- General
- RNZ News
'We have a real problem': Homelessness increases but by how much unclear
A makeshift shelter on Hobson St in central Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Amy Williams Homelessness has increased, but by how much is unclear, according to a government report. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development's latest Homelessness Insights Report relies on data collected in Census 2023, observations collected from government agencies, councils and the sector, and found homelessness had increased, but it was impossible to quantify the exact increase. The report defines homelessness as living situations where people are forced to live; without shelter, in temporary accommodation, shared accommodation with a household or living in uninhabitable housing. It also looked into what support people receive 60 days after they exited emergency housing. Thirty-seven percent were housed in social housing, 29 percent went into transitional housing, 19 percent received the accommodation supplement and the remaining 14 percent may be living without shelter, although that cannot be confirmed. From May 2024 to March 2025, 972 households were housed through the Priority One Fast Track, including 2055 children, the report said. In March, 32 percent of applications for emergency housing were declined, up 4 percent from the previous year. The reasons people were declined include: 'The need can be met another way' (34.3 percent), 'Circumstances could have been reasonably foreseen' (22.5 percent), 'Not eligible for a grant' (16.7 percent) and 'Not an emergency situation' (14.7 percent). In Auckland, outreach providers reported they were working with 809 "unsheltered" clients, up from 426 in September 2024. Whangārei District Council has seen an increase in the number of public reports related to homelessness from 680 in 2023 to 1066 in 2024. The report said at the current rate, they are forecast to reach over 1200 reports in 2025. "It's clear we have a real problem," Chris Bishop says. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone In a statement, Housing Minister Chris Bishop said the report confirmed what frontline organisations like the Auckland City Mission and Salvation Army had been saying: there are too many people in housing need. "Accurate numbers are difficult to pin down - people without shelter often move around and may avoid engaging with government services - but it's clear we have a real problem." he said. "The government takes this seriously. At present, over $550 million is spent annually across a range of programmes run by multiple agencies, including Transitional Housing, Housing First, Rapid Rehousing and many other support services." Census data between 2018 and 2023 period showed a 37 percent increase of people living without shelter, despite the use of Emergency Housing. Speaking to media, Green Party spokesperson for Housing Tamatha Paul said this confirms what many on the ground are saying. "Although the data might be inconclusive altogether, it does in part confirm what we are seeing on the ground, what frontline workers are seeing on the ground, and what people are saying when they're trying to access emergency housing," she said. "I'm glad that there's some more transparency around what we are seeing, and that there is information in that briefing that says this government intentionally ignored advice that their decision would make homelessness worse." Paul said a faster than expected drop in emergency housing numbers was to blame. "Now we know that the cruelty and the misery that underlined and underpinned that rapid decrease in emergency housing numbers also aligns with an increase in homelessness," Paul said. Speaking to media, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka said there was a range of support available for people who were declined emergency housing. "That could be through housing support products like tenancy cover, bond cover, all sorts of things. It could be in transitional housing or Housing First," he said. Potaka said he was confident there was support for many people who had been declined, but admitted he was unsure sure of "100 percent" of those people would get support. In a statement, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said the most significant jumps were in smaller cities. "In Taranaki, homelessness increased by 250 percent in just six months, and Whangārei is forecast to see 1200 reports of people who are homeless this year - in a population that is under 100,000 people" he said. "We have known homelessness has been rising since National came into government but Christopher Luxon, Chris Bishop and Tama Potaka have consistently denied it, ignoring everyone who gave them advice to the contrary." McAnulty said the rise in homelessness follows government decisions making it harder to access emergency housing.
Reuters
18-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Los Angeles sues Airbnb for alleged price gouging following wildfires
July 18 (Reuters) - Los Angeles sued Airbnb (ABNB.O), opens new tab, accusing the home rental company of allowing price gouging affecting more than 2,000 properties during January's wildfires in southern California, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto said on Friday. Airbnb was accused of violating a California law that prohibits prices of essential goods and services from rising more than 10% following a state of emergency. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles on January 7, triggering the state's anti-gouging law, and it has been extended several times. Feldstein Soto said that while Airbnb, with an estimated 80% market share in the city, has taken steps to curtail price gouging, "evidence indicates that illegal gouging on the site continues and may be ongoing." She also accused Airbnb of misrepresenting to prospective renters that it has "verified" hosts and property locations on its website, some of which don't exist. A copy of the complaint was not immediately available. In a statement, Airbnb said the company, Chief Executive Brian Chesky, and its affiliated nonprofit have contributed nearly $30 million to fire recovery efforts, including free emergency housing to nearly 24,000 people. It also said Airbnb hosts receive error messages if they try to boost prices more than 10% from pre-emergency rates. The lawsuit accuses San Francisco-based Airbnb of violating California's unfair competition law. It seeks an injunction to stop illegal rents during the state of emergency, plus civil fines of up to $2,500 per violation, Feldstein Soto said. The Southern California wildfires killed at least 30 people and destroyed or damaged more than 16,000 structures. Much of the damage came from the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire in Altadena. The fires charred an area larger than Paris.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Abuse victims on work permits get better support
People fleeing domestic abuse who are in Jersey on work permits will be offered more support as part of a shift in government policy. In what officials described as a "significant" change, survivors can now access emergency housing and 13 weeks of financial support. It is part of Jersey's wider action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, following a landmark report published last year. More than half of the 77 recommendations made in that report are now under way. Previously, some individuals on short-term permits were excluded from financial aid and housing options - a gap campaigners had long criticised as leaving victims trapped in unsafe situations. Deputy Mary Le Hegarat, Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, said: "That change - guaranteeing 13 weeks' pay - is already making a significant difference." She added that 42 of the 77 action points are currently in progress, with legislative reform also high on the agenda. "We're determined to complete as many as possible by the end of the term," she said. "The legislative changes need to be ready for debate before the next election - that's a key priority." Early intervention and training The government is also rolling out wider training for frontline workers, aimed at identifying early signs of abuse and coercive control. This includes sessions for teachers, housing staff, veterinary professionals and social services - all sectors considered well-placed to spot warning signs. "The more people trained to spot the signs, the more chance we have to intervene before abuse escalates," said Le Hegarat. More news stories for Jersey Listen to the latest news for Jersey Culture change must begin early, she added, highlighting a peer-led programme in schools where older students deliver sessions about healthy relationships to younger pupils. She also emphasised that sustainable funding is essential for victims to feel safe reporting abuse - and to ensure services remain in place. "This can't just be a time-limited project. Ongoing funding is essential so that victims feel safe to come forward - and know support will still be there," she said. While acknowledging that challenges remain, the government said the island's progress was "on track". Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to More on this story Progress 'being made on violence against women' 'Jersey's domestic abuse law is failing survivors' Related internet links States of Jersey
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Abuse victims on work permits in Jersey to get better support
People fleeing domestic abuse who are in Jersey on work permits will be offered more support as part of a shift in government what officials described as a "significant" change, survivors can now access emergency housing and 13 weeks of financial is part of Jersey's wider action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, following a landmark report published last year. More than half of the 77 recommendations made in that report are now under way. Previously, some individuals on short-term permits were excluded from financial aid and housing options - a gap campaigners had long criticised as leaving victims trapped in unsafe Mary Le Hegarat, Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, said: "That change - guaranteeing 13 weeks' pay - is already making a significant difference." She added that 42 of the 77 action points are currently in progress, with legislative reform also high on the agenda."We're determined to complete as many as possible by the end of the term," she said."The legislative changes need to be ready for debate before the next election - that's a key priority." Early intervention and training The government is also rolling out wider training for frontline workers, aimed at identifying early signs of abuse and coercive includes sessions for teachers, housing staff, veterinary professionals and social services - all sectors considered well-placed to spot warning signs."The more people trained to spot the signs, the more chance we have to intervene before abuse escalates," said Le Hegarat. Culture change must begin early, she added, highlighting a peer-led programme in schools where older students deliver sessions about healthy relationships to younger also emphasised that sustainable funding is essential for victims to feel safe reporting abuse - and to ensure services remain in place."This can't just be a time-limited project. Ongoing funding is essential so that victims feel safe to come forward - and know support will still be there," she acknowledging that challenges remain, the government said the island's progress was "on track".
