Auckland (Avneet Kaur) Homelessness in New Zealand has now reached its highest recorded level, according to a major new housing sector report that warns thousands more affordable homes are urgently needed to stop the crisis from worsening further.
The report released by Community Housing Aotearoa says the country’s shortage of affordable and social housing has pushed increasing numbers of people into unstable living situations, emergency accommodation and homelessness.
The organisation is now calling on the government to dramatically increase long-term investment in affordable housing and build at least 3000 new social and affordable homes every year for the next decade.
Community Housing Aotearoa chief executive Paul Gilberd said New Zealand already has the resources and capability to reduce homelessness, but stronger political decisions are needed.
He argued that housing should be treated the same way as other critical national infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and transport systems rather than simply as a market issue.
Gilberd also criticised the country’s long-term housing policies, saying New Zealand has failed for decades to build enough lower-cost homes for struggling families and vulnerable people.
According to the report, homelessness has been fuelled not only by rising rents and housing shortages, but also by gaps between government systems where vulnerable people often fall through without support.
The report warns that many people are still being discharged from hospitals, prisons and mental health facilities without stable housing arrangements already in place, increasing the risk of homelessness.
Community Housing Aotearoa also criticised the accommodation supplement system, arguing large amounts of taxpayer support are ultimately benefiting private landlords rather than solving long-term housing insecurity.
The findings reveal Māori and Pacific communities continue to be disproportionately affected by homelessness in New Zealand.
Although Māori make up around 17 percent of the country’s population, they account for nearly 29 percent of people experiencing homelessness.
Pacific communities are also heavily impacted, representing more than 22 percent of homeless people despite making up only around 8 percent of New Zealand’s population.
The report further highlighted the growing number of young people facing housing insecurity, with more than half of all people experiencing homelessness aged under 24.
Housing advocates warn youth homelessness often becomes the starting point for long-term adult homelessness if support is not provided early.
The report says many young people face additional barriers when trying to access housing, including tenancy age restrictions, previous evictions, lack of identification documents or criminal history checks.
Women were also found to represent more than half of people experiencing severe housing deprivation.
Gilberd said solutions must go beyond a “one-size-fits-all” approach and should include stronger community-led responses, including Māori and Pacific-led housing initiatives tailored to local needs.
The report comes as pressure grows on the government ahead of Budget 2026, with housing groups urging politicians to commit significantly more funding toward social and affordable housing projects.
Despite the concerning findings, housing organisations say they remain hopeful homelessness can still be reduced if stronger long-term action is taken now.
Meanwhile, with budget 2026 to be announced today, this latest report is expected to intensify debate around housing affordability, social welfare and growing inequality as more New Zealanders struggle to secure stable and affordable homes.
