•
Too small for the number of people living
there. Families were often housed in a single
room, sometimes with children sleeping in the
same bed as their parent because there was no
other room.
Although most complaints we heard regarding
poor quality were in relation to emergency
accommodation, we also heard that some
transitional housing had similar problems. This
was particularly the case where transitional
housing was delivered through contracted
motels rather than purpose-built facilities such as
apartment blocks or stand-alone houses. Some
people in older transitional housing also observed
a lack of maintenance leading to issues like mould
or damage that was not repaired.
Child and youth wellbeing
We heard concerns from many people about
children living in the emergency housing system.
Parents living with their children told us how
worried they are for their children’s health and
wellbeing (including physical health impacts from
poor quality housing). Advocates and social service
providers also confirmed the impacts they are
seeing on children in emergency housing.
“They are not getting enough sleep, they can’t
function in a learning environment due to the
poor social environment they find themselves in.
They are too tired to learn… They have nowhere to
play.” [Advocate]
“My children’s lawyer, my lawyer and my midwife
agree that this is very upsettingly unsuitable
and unsafe for my kids.” [Resident in emergency
accommodation]
We heard that emergency accommodation, which
can require families to move week to week, and
transitional housing, which may not be available
in the same school district, both have impacts for
children in social and school upheaval.
24
Human Rights Commission
“Children were asking, will Father Christmas
know where to bring our presents? Because they
don’t know where they’ll be living, week to week.”
[Housing/benefit advocate]
Some people raised issues around the emergency
housing system being one-size-fits-all and not
family-friendly. They were worried that children
are exposed to other people in the facility with
complex issues such as alcohol or drug addiction,
mental health crisis, or in the most serious
instances are offenders on parole or are actively
dealing drugs out of the complex.
They are also concerned about families winding
up isolated and without support in the emergency
housing system, especially single parents living
with children in unsafe, overcrowded situations.
Some people described these environments as
pressure cookers that can lead to dysfunction,
harm, and trauma.
“The environment was unsafe for children. There
are too many people with mental health and
addictions sharing the space with children. There
were serious cases where Oranga Tamariki should
have intervened.” [Former resident of emergency
accommodation]
“60-70% of the two thousand in emergency
housing [in our region] are children. We’re seeing
an increase in family harm – overcrowding,
stress, unsafe motel environments all lead to
family harm and potentially childhood trauma.”
[Transitional housing provider with significant
background in social services]
We heard that the system will sometimes split up
families who are seeking emergency housing.