Contents Preface – Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt 4 Acknowledgments and content warning 6 Whakarāpopototanga matua 7 Executive summary 10 1. Introduction 13 2. Background and context 16 The right to a decent home grounded on Te Tiriti o Waitangi 17 Framework Guidelines on the Right to a Decent Home in Aotearoa 17 Responding to homelessness and unmet housing need: the emergency housing system in Aotearoa New Zealand 18 Emergency accommodation 19 Transitional housing 20 3. What we have heard 22 Quality, conditions, and access to essential facilities 23 Child and youth wellbeing 24 Safety, security, and access to necessary support 25 Security issues, including behaviour of security staff 27 Many emergency and transitional accommodation complexes exacerbate or create new social issues 27 Availability and consistency of wraparound support services 28 Lack of stability over housing situation Eviction processes Lack of transparency, accountability, and independent complaint mechanisms 30 31 Complaints about housing providers 31 Complaints about MSD staff and processes 32 Difficulties in connection between agencies, and with the emergency system as a whole 33 Long-term impacts on those who have been through the system 2 29 Human Rights Commission 35