Why does the Government emphasise the decrease in Auckland's rough sleeping count from its September 2025 peak of 940, when the Homelessness Insights report to 31 March 2026 records that the January 2026 count of 706 was higher than the 653 recorded in January 2025?

Answer

The six-monthly Homelessness Insights report draws on data from multiple sources collected at different times and is intended to provide the most up-to-date indication of trends available. The most recent Auckland living without shelter figure available for this report was the March 2026 figure provided by Auckland Council. That figure was lower than both the January 2026 count and the September 2025 peak, indicating a decrease from those more recent observations.