The Government have released Phase One of the Aotearoa/New Zealand Homelessness Action Plan (2020-2023).

This is the first time in New Zealand that a comprehensive central government-led and cross-agency plan has been developed to prevent and reduce homelessness.

The release of the action plan represents a shift in the way the government responds to homelessness. It is a multi-year cross-government roadmap towards the Government’s vision that ‘homelessness is prevented where possible, or is rare, brief and non-recurring’.

The plan is an important step in delivering on this vision. It sets out an overarching framework with actions to improve the wellbeing and housing outcomes of individuals, families and whānau who are at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.

Actions within the plan will work to strengthen the Government’s response to homelessness, and are centred within four key areas:

  • Prevention: Individuals and whānau receive the support they need so that homelessness stops happening in the first place.
  • Supply: All New Zealanders have a place to call home, the use of motels for emergency housing is reduced.
  • Support: Individuals and whānau experiencing homelessness move quickly into stable accommodation and access wider social support to address needs.
  • System enablers: The system supports and enables our vision and together we address homelessness.

The plan has 18 immediate actions to be put in place in 2020, and a further 18 longer-term actions to be developed for implementation over 2020-2023.  By taking the immediate actions, we will support over 10,000 people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness over three years.

This action plan is backed up by over $300 million of new government funding.

The actions will build on and support the local work already underway around New Zealand and put in place essential changes to address gaps in responses to homelessness.

Aotearoa Homelessness Action Plan 2020-2023