7688 (2026). Tamatha Paul to the Associate Minister of Housing

7688 (2026). Tamatha Paul to the Associate Minister of Housing: How many applications, if any, for emergency housing were approved and declined in each quarter since January 2023, in Auckland City?

Hon Tama Potaka: I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) that, due to current reporting delays, data is only available up to the September 2025 quarter. I am further advised that the Ministry’s practice and data capture in respect of emergency housing declines has improved, with all applications now having the outcome recorded, providing greater transparency for clients. However, this makes it difficult to compare data pre / post implementation of the new rules for entry into emergency housing. At a national level, EH decline rates were 37.4% at the end of the September 2025 quarter - an increase of 3.7 percentage points compared with the previous quarter. Where Ministry clients have been declined emergency housing, clients may be offered other forms of assistance such as: Housing Brokerage, Rental Readiness skills, the Accommodation Supplement, Bond Grant, Moving Costs Grant, Costs (rent) in Advance Grant or an Accommodation Security Cover Grant. Where the Ministry has declined emergency housing, people may be referred to Transitional Housing Providers contracted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In locations with strong supply of transitional housing, like Auckland, the Ministry would expect to see a higher proportion of clients declined emergency housing because alternative accommodation is available, meaning their need can be met another way. I refer the member to the attached table, which provides the number of grants and declines for Emergency Housing from 1 January 2023 to 30 September 2025, by quarter ending, outcome and territorial local authority. This is also my written response to WPQ 7689 (2026).