Government Expands Homelessness Support to More Communities

The Government says earlier measures introduced in late 2025 are already helping people move off the streets and into more secure accommodation.

The Government is expanding homelessness support services to six additional communities and extending programmes already operating in major centres, backed by $14.54 million in new funding over the next year. Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka said the investment is designed to provide immediate help for people sleeping rough while broader efforts continue to address housing challenges across New Zealand.

Funding Expansion Reaches Six New Areas

The additional support will extend outreach and housing services to Tauranga, Whakatāne, New Plymouth, Napier, Whanganui and Waimakariri. According to the ministers, support programmes will be tailored to local circumstances, recognising that homelessness can look very different from one community to another.

A portion of the funding, worth $2.7 million, has been specifically allocated to establish and strengthen services in these locations, where recent reporting and homelessness data identified unmet demand for support. The funding will also continue services in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch, where existing programmes have already shown positive results.

Hundreds Moved Into Stable Housing

The Government says earlier measures introduced in late 2025 are already helping people move off the streets and into more secure accommodation. Those actions included funding 300 additional Housing First social homes, expanding local homelessness responses, increasing the use of transitional housing, improving emergency housing assessment processes and redirecting benefit funding to better support people facing hardship.

Since September 2025, a total of 674 households that had been sleeping rough have been placed into stable housing through the additional Housing First places and existing social homes. Between November 2025 and January 2026, another 177 people entered a transitional housing pilot programme operating in Auckland and Hamilton through partnerships with homelessness support providers.

Support Goes Beyond Housing

Officials say homelessness is often linked to wider challenges that can include mental health concerns, addiction, unemployment, family difficulties and limited access to essential services. The funding has already helped housing assistance centres deliver more than 1,500 support activities, including mental health assistance, addiction services and help accessing government benefits.

Potaka said community organisations and frontline providers play a crucial role in helping vulnerable people reconnect with services and find long-term stability. The Government believes expanding outreach, transitional housing and Housing First initiatives will allow more people to access support when they need it most while improving outcomes for individuals and families across the country.

The latest investment is intended to strengthen those efforts and ensure more communities have access to practical support for people experiencing homelessness.