Auckland Mayor Phil Goff welcomes today’s opening of Auckland City Mission’s new transitional accommodation facility for women, Te Whare Hīnātore.

“It’s critically important that we provide stability and security, as well as housing, for homeless women who are rough sleeping at a high risk to their safety and wellbeing,” he said.

“The facility, which I publicly supported in my Homelessness Policy during the 2019 election, provides 15 self-contained units targeted at women who are homeless and sleeping rough in Auckland. It will provide a safe haven for up to 12 weeks for vulnerable women and help them into a permanent accommodation.

“An important part of the Mission’s philosophy is improving people’s overall wellness and helping them deal with the problems that lead to homelessness, as well as providing them with a place to live, and Te Whare Hīnātore will help achieve these goals.”

The opening of Te Whare Hīnātore was also welcomed by Councillor Alf Filipaina, Chair of the Parks, Arts, Community and Events Committee, and Councillor Efeso Collins, Homelessness Portfolio holder.

“This facility is an important and necessary step to ending the grave issue of homelessness that takes such a toll on our communities,” Cr Filipaina said.

Cr Collins added, “No one should have to suffer by sleeping rough on our streets; Te Whare Hīnātore will help get at-risk women into safe accommodation.”

Mayor Goff also welcomed the government’s commitment, announced at the Te Whare Hīnātore opening, to provide $300 million nationwide to tackle homelessness through its Aotearoa / New Zealand Homelessness Action Plan.

“The $300 million is a strong and positive step in the right direction,” he said.

“This expenditure, including to increase the supply of transitional housing, is necessary for us to achieve our goal of reducing and eliminating homelessness.

“This is particularly important for Auckland, where high rates of population growth and high housing costs makes the problem of homelessness more severe than in many other places.

“Initiatives in the Homeless Action Plan will complement the increasing number of social houses being built, and the efforts of Housing First in Auckland, which housed over 1000 people in its first two and a half years.”

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