Changes in Emergency Housing Access

Increase over 6 months following policy change that tightens access to housing support for emergency circumstances

Recent data indicates a marked increase in emergency housing declines associated with the application of eligibility criteria, including assessments related to contribution to housing need.

This shift appears to reflect a change in how access thresholds are being applied at the point of entry into emergency housing.

Over the same period, there has been a reduction in the number of applications, alongside an increase in the proportion of declined applications. Taken together, these trends suggest that fewer people are entering emergency housing through formal pathways.

Early insights from providers indicate that underlying housing need has not reduced at the same rate. Instead, there are indications of increased reliance on informal or temporary living arrangements, including staying with friends or family or living in vehicles.

This highlights the importance of maintaining a system-wide view of homelessness that extends beyond emergency housing, to ensure unmet need remains visible and can inform effective responses across housing, health, and social services.

Data source: OIA data from Ministry of Social Development, EHSNG decline reason August 2024 to January 2025