Who is Sustaining Tenancies for? 

Sustaining Tenancies is a service for tenants in private rentals or public housing who are at risk of losing their place to live.  

Tailored support 

Sustaining Tenancies service providers work with tenants on issues that are putting their tenancy at risk.  

Those issues could range from struggling to pay their rent, to dealing with mental or physical health concerns, or risk factors such as addiction or family violence.  

Support is tailored for each individual or whānau. Support services will work with tenants to see what they need and to develop a whānau-led plan. The type and level of support services they receive will be based on this plan and could include: 

  • advocacy with landlords 
  • advocacy and support to navigate social and health services 
  • referral to budgeting services 
  • life skills coaching. 

When tenants are on track with their whānau-led goal plan and are no longer at risk of losing their tenancy, the support service will work with them on a new plan that will see them no longer needing to use Sustaining Tenancies’ services.  

How tenants can access the Sustaining Tenancies’ services 

Tenants can refer themselves or be referred by another agency or community organisation. Support service providers can reach out to tenants through: 

  • government departments and agencies 
  • public and private landlords and tenancy services 
  • local Māori organisations and iwi 
  • local GPs and health navigators 
  • local community organisations. 

Find Sustaining Tenancies support services 

Service

Area

Kāhui Tū Kaha

Wellsford / Whangārei / Dargaville

He Korowai Trust

Kaitaia

Ngāti Hine Health Trust

Whangārei / Kawakawa / Kaikohe / Kerikeri

One Double Five Whare Awhina Community House

Whangārei

Waitomo Papakāinga Development Society Incorporated

Kaitaia

Auckland

Service

Area

Auckland City Mission

Central Auckland

De Paul House

Central Auckland / North Shore / Warkworth

Emerge Aotearoa

West Auckland / North Shore

Kāhui Tū Kaha

East Auckland / Central Auckland / North Shore

Lifewise

Central Auckland

LinkPeople

South Auckland

Monte Cecilia Housing Trust

South Auckland / Papakura / Takanini

MUMA Whānau Services

South Auckland

STRIVE Community Trust

South Auckland

Te Whānau o Waipareira

West Auckland

The Salvation Army

West Auckland / South Auckland

Turuki Healthcare

Central Auckland / South Auckland

VisionWest Community Trust

West Auckland

WALSH Trust

West Auckland / North Shore

Waikato

Service

Area

LinkPeople

Hamilton

Emerge Aotearoa

Hamilton

Taumarunui Community Kōkiri Trust

Taumarunui / Te Kuiti

Waiuku Family Support Network

Hamilton / Ngāruawāhia / Huntly

Bay of Plenty

Service

Area

LinkPeople

Tauranga / Rotorua

The Salvation Army

Whakatāne / Ōpōtiki / Rotorua

WERA Aotearoa Community Trust (WACT)

Tokoroa / Rotorua

Taranaki

Service

Area

Roderique Hope Trust

New Plymouth/Waitara/Hawera

East Coast and Hawke's Bay

Service

Area

Emerge Aotearoa

Napier / Hastings

Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou (TRONPnui)

Gisborne

The Salvation Army

Napier / Hastings

Central

Service

Area

Emerge Aotearoa

Palmerston North / Masterton

Tuatahi Centre

Palmerston North / Feilding

Wellington

Service

Area

Atareira

Upper Hutt

DCM

Wellington Central

Emerge Aotearoa

Lower Hutt / Porirua

He Herenga Kura

Wellington and Hutt Valley

Tākiri Mai Te Ata Whānau Ora Collective

Lower Hutt

Tuatahi Centre

Wainuiomata

Wesley Community Action

Porirua

Marlborough and Tasman

Service

Area

Christchurch Methodist Mission

Blenheim

Gateway Housing Trust

Tasman

West Coast

Service

Area

Gateway Housing Trust

West Coast

Canterbury

Service

Area

Comcare

Christchurch

Christchurch Methodist Mission

Christchurch

Emerge Aotearoa

Christchurch

VisionWest Community Trust

Christchurch

Southern

Service

Area

Catholic Social Services Dunedin

Dunedin

Emerge Aotearoa

Southland / Dunedin

Methodist Mission Southern

Southland

The history of Sustaining Tenancies 

Sustaining Tenancies started in 2017 as a trial to support 940 individuals and whānau who were at risk of losing their public housing tenancies in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. A further 650 places were added to the trial between October 2019 and June 2020.  

The programme has been redesigned and expanded as part of the Aotearoa Homelessness Action Plan, with funding to provide 1,550 places per year for three years to June 2023. In response to the immediate impact of COVID-19, 600 places were brought forward to Year One (from Year Three). Support service providers started delivering the redesigned service around the country from July 2020.  

See more about the Aoteaoroa Homelessness Action Plan.  

Sustaining Tenancies and MAIHI 

Māori are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis. Te MAIHI o te Whare Māori - Māori and Iwi Housing Innovation (MAIHI) is a framework and strategy, created Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga - Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in partnership with Māori, to reset the housing system so it delivers better solutions for Māori.  

MAIHI’s vision is that all whānau have: 

  • access to warm, dry and safe homes, with the security of being able to stay in them for as long as is appropriate for their circumstances 
  • connections to the services they need to be able to sustain their housing 
  • opportunities to fully participate in their communities.  

Read more about MAIHI.