How many, if any rough-sleeping households are currently in temporary accommodation (such as transitional or emergency housing) awaiting a social or permanent place, as at 16 June 2026?

Answer

I am advised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development that 526 rough-sleeping households entered transitional housing through Immediate Access Transitional Housing or the additional Transitional Housing services under the homelessness short-term actions since the initiative commenced. Some of these households have since moved on from Transitional Housing. There are currently 948 households that are in Transitional Housing that were rough sleeping prior to being housed. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) advises that it does not centrally record information on clients who are sleeping rough. This information, if held, will be on individual client files. Providing information on how many households were rough sleeping prior to entering Emergency Housing (EH) would require staff to manually review individual client files, diverting staff from their core duties. In accordance with the Speaker’s Ruling 210/6, I consider that the time, and hence the expense, of answering this part of the Member’s questions is not in the public interest. I am further advised that from September 2025, the Ministry of Social Development implemented a Tactical Plan for Rough Sleepers in targeted locations: Auckland, Waikato, Napier, Rotorua, Wellington and Canterbury. The plan builds on the existing co-location of services and EH Support Service funding provided to key providers who undertake outreach work with rough sleepers. Approximately 120 rough sleepers were granted emergency housing through the plan. The Ministry of Social Development does publish monthly housing data, which includes the number of households granted an Emergency Housing Grant, which can be found here: https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/housing/monthly-housing-reporting.html