“Emergency housing is not housing. It’s shelter,” says Taone O’Regan, operations manager for Housing First Aro Mai, part of Wellington’s DCM (Downtown Community Ministry).

“It’s not safe or secure, and it takes so much effort to live in emergency housing,” she says citing the hoops people have to jump through to secure it.

Prior to the pandemic response, those living in emergency housing had to obtain a supplier-provided quote for accommodation and get it approved week by week. Currently, it’s every three weeks.While that has been one benefit of boosted funding and learnings from pandemic response, other issues magnified. “A trend that emerged since COVID-19 is the increasing number of people previously not homeless filling up emergency and transitional housing.”

Taone says that that’s forcing those with multiple and complex needs into emergency housing. “The most vulnerable are being squeezed out of any hope of permanent housing and even shelter” with histories of mental and physical health challenges, addictions and criminal justice backgrounds. As a housing first entity, the goal of Taone’s team is to end homelessness, not manage it. Their approach is to get people into permanent living arrangements first, then support them with services to address the reason why they were experiencing insecure housing.

Taone acknowledges that the use of motel and hotels during COVID-19 level four was a step on the pathway of moving rough sleepers and people who were homeless towards permanent housing. But she maintains that such accommodation is the housing option of last resort. “The rooms are too small. They’re not set up for living in 24-7. There’s nowhere for people to store their belongings. Usually there’s just a kettle and a microwave. Even giving a food parcel is problematic as there’s nowhere to put the food.”

As at the end of December, Aro Mai had 105 people on their books and 42 needing housing. Taone has one procurement specialist looking for properties. She says ideally she should have two “But there’s no point – there are so few houses.”

The lack of properties also means that charities and government agencies all end up vying for the same properties. Despite emergency housing being far from preferable, the scarcity of properties means that such accommodation will necessarily continue for the foreseeable future.“Our staff make it work,” she says, “ they respond to MSD grants and applications, they ensure that the hoteliers are paid. Many people with multiple and complex needs require an advocate to help them live successfully in emergency housing. That’s become a significant part of the work of my team.”

Taone still believes that the government could do more in the interim. “MSD, or maybe the local DHB, should be funding a transitional housing model that accommodates a higher level of support for renters with multiple and complex needs. We need more staff to support these ones.”

FULL ARTICLE HERE