Community Housing
This year has seen significant growth in both Transitional Housing and our Housing First portfolio.
This is largely due to the increasing need for public housing throughout Aotearoa New Zealand which is at crisis point – almost 25,000 names are currently listed on the MSD Housing Register (30 June 2023).
The issue of homelessness and housing provision has been a common theme within the news media over the past year. The cost-of-living and subsequent rent rises have put private rental housing outside the reach of many. What’s more, considering future housing trends, Te Ara Ahunga Ora – the Retirement Commission – has stated that, in future years, many New Zealanders will be renting or paying off mortgages beyond 65 years of age. It is estimated that, by 2048, 40% of retirees (600,000 people) will be renters.
Visionwest recognises the need to continue to grow in our provision of community housing and to advocate around the serious need for housing throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. As part of our response, we have a vision to increase the number of properties we own from the current 96, to 500 within the next decade. This will include 23 apartments as part of the Glendale Road site development.
Both the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Waitaha Canterbury Housing teams are in new offices increasing our effectiveness and enabling a positive staff culture and wellbeing.
Common amongst the housing teams is the challenge to find available accommodation to use as long-term housing – around 170 accommodation requests are received each month.
All Visionwest’s long-term owned properties are now fully compliant with the Healthy Homes Standards ensuring a warm, safe, and dry home for our whānau.
The Sustaining Tenancies contract which supports those at risk of losing their tenancy has been extended meaning more whānau can be supported.
Our response to homelessness
Tā mātou whakautu ki te āhuatanga kāinga kore
HOUSEHOLDS MOVED FROM TRANSITIONAL TO PERMANENT HOUSING
HOUSES PROVIDED BY VISIONWEST (LONG-TERM AND TRANSITIONAL)
John’s Story
John was used to living alone on the street, so he resisted an offer for housing at first despite often falling seriously ill during the cold, wet winter months. When he eventually did admit that he needed help, Visionwest was there for him. He now has a permanent home and admits life is pretty good.
Community Housing – Auckland
The Community Housing teams were quick to respond to the Auckland flood events. Within hours of the floods, both Tenancy and Supportive housing teams were busy contacting all Visionwest tenants to ascertain their need for support. Full details are in the Visionwest Flood and Cyclone Report. The ongoing effects of the floods on both housing supply and ongoing support of our housing whānau cannot be overstated and has kept both Auckland housing teams extremely busy.
Tenancy Services
The shortage of housing stock throughout Aotearoa New Zealand is an ongoing challenge for housing providers. Despite this, Visionwest Community Housing has added 104 houses (leased or owned) to our portfolio this year. 51 of these are permanent housing in Auckland through the Housing First programme. Also included are ten units in a Kainga Ora block in Mount Albert. These will be used for Transitional Housing.
Ongoing training for our Tenancy Managers has seen several of them undertaking the NZQA Level 4 Property Management Certificate. This will ensure the quality of service provided by Visionwest remains high.
Support Services
The addition of housing stock leads to an increasingly busy schedule for the Housing Support team as does the number of individuals (currently about 100) who we support but who have no home. Alongside this increase in volume is an increase in the intensity of support required by our housing whānau due to the increased number of chronic needs we are seeing, especially in the areas of mental health, addictions, violence, gang-related activity, and associated issues. Key vulnerable groups are Māori, Pasifika, solo mothers, youth, the rainbow community, and older adults.
To ensure the ongoing support of our tenants, our Community Developer has run a variety of Supportive Housing Community Programmes throughout the past year including financial mentoring, healthy eating, gardening, parenting, and cooking. 95 whānau have attended these programmes in addition to 40 who attended one-off workshops.
Community Housing – Waitaha Canterbury
The housing need in Waitaha Canterbury remains critical where more than 700 children wake up homeless in Christchurch motels every day and are likely to be without a proper home for six months. There are, in Greater Christchurch about 1500 people in transitional and emergency housing – including 723 children (The Press, August 9, 2023).
Achieving the target of 91 whānau housed in Transitional Housing has meant the Waitaha team has made a substantial difference in the lives of many who might otherwise be experiencing homelessness. In Waitaha, the average stay in Transitional Housing is currently 40 weeks and the team’s aim is now to find more long-term housing so that this time can be decreased.
After inhabiting five offices in eight years, the move to new offices on the site of Oxford Terrace Baptist Church has provided more space and has brought a sense of stability to the team. Also on site are several units to be used as social housing – seven of these will be managed by Visionwest Housing and are already tenanted.
Our response to homelessness
Tā mātou whakautu ki te āhuatanga kāinga kore
Whānau received Sustaining Tenancy support
Whānau graduated from the Sustaining Tenancies Programme
Miro’s Story
Life has presented Miro with more than his share of challenges, but he remains positive because he knows, whatever he goes through, Visionwest will be there to walk beside him and support him in the tough times.
Housing First
Since 2017, Visionwest has been part of Housing First Auckland, a collective of five housing providers who are working together to end homelessness in Tāmaki Makarau.
In the past year, the collective has provided supportive housing for 227 households – that is a permanent rental home with ongoing support designed to help whānau sustain those tenancies.
Sixty-nine percent of people in the Housing First programme are individuals living without dependent children; families with dependent children make up the other 31%.
Thirty-three percent of the client whānau of Housing First Auckland are from West Auckland which is where the bulk of Visionwest’s properties are located. Visionwest also houses 70% of the total number of dependent children across the Housing First Collective.
The demand for housing has risen sharply the past year as cost-of-living increases have pushed up the cost of private rentals. This has placed pressure on all members of the Housing First Collective members especially with Rapid Rehousing.
This increased demand is reflected in Visionwest’s Housing First metrics. One in five (20%) of those currently looking for a home have been homelessness for between three and five years. Of those in Visionwest permanent housing, 75% are Māori or Pasefika, and 63% are female. One interesting and increasing trend is the number of older people who are in permanent rental accommodation – 21% of Visionwest permanent tenants are aged 50 years or older.
HOUSEHOLDS PLACED BY VISIONWEST IN HOUSING FIRST HOMES THIS YEAR
CHILDREN HOUSED
ADULTS HOUSED
Housing First Auckland
HOUSING FIRST Collective Stats
March 2017 – August 2023
HOUSEHOLDS
CHILDREN HOUSED
ADULTS & FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN HOUSED
My Whare
My Whare is an innovative response to housing Aotearoa New Zealand rangatahi (youth) who are at risk of homelessness.
In September 2022, Kendra Horning was appointed to the role of leading My Whare. This has given the programme a greater sense of direction and enabled proactive planning for future strategies to address youth homelessness and provide direction in the lives of young people like Bethany.
Bethany came to Visionwest after moving from Wellington. “Back in 2020, I was part of Visionwest’s Youth Payment programme. Kendra was my Youth Coach and we really got on well. Then I moved away and hadn’t seen Kendra for about a year when I saw that she was speaking at a community meeting just around the corner from where I was living. I didn’t care what she was speaking about, I thought it would be great to catch up, so I went along.”
Kendra was speaking about My Whare, Visionwest’s youth housing initiative and, after the meeting Kendra and Bethany met up.
“Kendra asked how I was going. I told her I was okay, but my living situation was unstable and wasn’t that great. That’s when she told me more about My Whare and asked if I’d be interested in being part of the programme and living in one of the whare.”
The timing of Bethany and Kendra meeting was perfect. Bethany needed a place to live, and a whare had just become available.
“When I was offered one of the My Whare homes, I never hesitated. During my time at Visionwest, it had always been like a second home for me; a place where I felt totally comfortable. Everyone is so kind and caring. It was a really positive environment for me and a place where I could thrive and be myself.”
Being in a My Whare home has brought stability to Bethany’s life. She can now focus on the things that matter, like her future.
“I hate to think where I’d be if it wasn’t for My Whare. I know I’d be struggling financially and would be under stress 24/7. It’s possible I would be homeless. Instead, I have a stable place to call my own and where I feel safe. My host family are the best family ever. I love them so much and feel safe and comfortable being around them.
“I would 100% recommend Visionwest and My Whare. It’s changed my life and will change the lives of others as well.”
“I would 100% recommend Visionwest and My Whare. It’s changed my life and will change the lives of others as well.”