New Zealand has one of the highest rates of homelessness in the developed world — approximately 42,000 people are severely housing deprived, including those living rough, in emergency accommodation, in severely overcrowded conditions, or in uninhabitable dwellings. The housing crisis that has driven homelessness reflects decades of under-investment in social housing and persistent poverty. Grant funding supports the organisations working directly with people who are homeless — from rough sleeper outreach to transitional housing and Housing First.
Types of homelessness
Homelessness exists on a spectrum:
- Rough sleeping: living outside, in vehicles, or in public places
- Emergency accommodation: motels, emergency housing grants, refuges
- Severely overcrowded housing: significant numbers of people in a single dwelling
- Uninhabitable housing: living in conditions that are unsafe or hazardous to health
The 2018 Census found approximately 1% of the population severely housing deprived.
Who experiences homelessness
Homelessness is concentrated among:
- Single men (particularly rough sleeping)
- Māori (approximately 50% of the homeless population is Māori, despite being 17% of the general population)
- Young people (particularly those who have left care)
- Women fleeing family violence
- People with mental health and addiction challenges
- People leaving prison
- Pacific peoples
Drivers
Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
HUD funds:
- Social housing (Kāinga Ora and community housing providers)
- Transitional housing grants (funded through emergency housing)
- Housing First programme investment
- Homelessness Action Plan implementation
- Rapid rehousing initiatives
Ministry of Social Development (MSD)
MSD funds:
- Emergency Housing Special Needs Grants (motel-based emergency accommodation)
- Night shelter contracts
- Housing support services
Kāinga Ora
Kāinga Ora (Housing New Zealand successor) provides social housing and tenancy management.
Community Housing Providers
The community housing sector (housing associations, iwi housing, community trusts) receives government funding for social housing — but also philanthropic support.
Housing First is the evidence-based approach to rough sleeping — providing stable housing first, then support:
- Housing is provided unconditionally (not as a reward for sobriety or treatment)
- Wrap-around support follows housing
- Significantly better outcomes than shelter + treatment first models
Housing First programmes in NZ
Housing First has been implemented in:
- Whangarei, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin
- Government and philanthropic co-investment
- Managed by community housing organisations
The Tindall Foundation
The Tindall Foundation has invested significantly in homelessness:
- Housing First programme investment
- Community housing sector support
- Wraparound support services
JR McKenzie Trust
Housing as a justice issue — supports homelessness and housing affordability advocacy.
Foundation North
Auckland homelessness and housing support programmes.
Community foundations
Regional foundations fund local homelessness services.
Rough sleeping outreach
Emergency and night shelter
Transitional housing
Time-limited supported housing between emergency and long-term:
- Transitional housing places
- Resident support coordination
- Pathways to permanent housing
Housing First
Housing advocacy and navigation
Rough sleeping women
Women's experience of rough sleeping differs — often hidden:
- Women-only shelter and services
- Family violence and homelessness intersection
- Safer space services
Youth homelessness
Young people (16-25) without homes:
- Youth-specific housing and support
- Transition from care (many young homeless people have been in care)
- Youth Employment and training pathways
- Reconnection to family or safe adults
Māori homelessness
Kaupapa Māori approaches to homelessness:
- Māori-led housing and support services
- Whānau ora approach to housing stability
- Cultural reconnection alongside housing
Housing First evidence
Housing First has the strongest evidence for rough sleeping outcomes — cite the evidence. Applications that depart from Housing First principles need strong justification.
Systems thinking
Homelessness is a systems failure — housing, mental health, justice, family violence. Show where your programme sits in the system and how it connects to other services.
Non-judgmental practice
People who are homeless are not to blame for their situation. Show harm reduction and non-judgmental approaches — not requiring sobriety or behaviour change as conditions of service.
Lived experience involvement
People with lived experience of homelessness should inform programme design and ideally participate in delivery (peer support is an evidence-based component of Housing First).
Data
Use local homeless population data — rough sleeping counts, social housing waitlist numbers, emergency housing grant use. Show that your area has genuine need.
Tahua's grants management platform supports housing funders and homelessness organisations — with programme participant tracking, housing outcome measurement, community reach data, and the tools that help homelessness funders demonstrate their investment in addressing New Zealand's housing crisis and its human cost.