New project to help Napier’s homeless

Chronically homeless people in Napier will be helped off the street and into warm, safe housing where they will receive wraparound services to help them get their lives back on track, Social Housing Minister Amy Adams has announced.

The Government has invested up to $325,000 over the next two years to the Whatever It Takes charity in Napier. This will provide them with the ability to potentially support up to 20 individuals each year.

“We don’t want to see anyone living on the street or in shelters. The drivers behind homelessness are complex and difficult, such as mental health issues, alcoholism or family violence, and there isn’t a quick fix,” Ms Adams says.

“We need to combat homelessness at its core, by addressing the causes behind it.

“In order to help rough sleepers in Napier, we will be first helping them into safe, secure and stable accommodation, and then providing wrap-around services to address their issues.”

The new funding is for two homes that over time will have room for up to five chronically homeless individuals at a time, while they’re helped to secure more permanent accommodation. This will be managed by the Whatever it Takes Trust, which will have an in-house supervisor to support residents with home-living skills and social and mental health services, depending on their needs.

Whatever It Takes has operated in Napier for 15 years and delivers mental health services including community support and residential care services. The Trust is a registered community housing provider providing 12 social houses in Napier.

“This new support will help chronically homeless people in Napier, and will help facilitate access to much-needed addiction and mental health support services. The supported-living component is a new initiative and provides the next step to meeting the needs of homeless people,” Ms Adams says.

Our social housing plan

This year, the Government will spend $2.3 billion supporting 310,000 households with their accommodation. Those seeking immediate shelter can access an emergency Special Needs Grant so they have a warm, safe place to stay while they search for more sustainable housing. We have invested $354 million to help 8600 families every year with transitional housing, with 3660 of these to be in Auckland. We are also planning to grow the number of social houses available, from 66,000 today to 72,000 over the next three years.

ENDS

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