MSD performance measures strengthen focus on stable housing

The Ministry of Social Development is asking its regional leaders to strengthen their focus on helping people secure stable housing after they leave emergency housing, says Group General Manager for Service Delivery Graham Allpress.

“We’ve sent out letters of performance expectation for the new financial year to our Regional Commissioners and Regional Directors.

“Supporting people in housing need is one of the important things we do.

“We’ve outlined five priority areas for our regional leaders for the coming year - consistency of service, accuracy, employment outcomes, effective management of contracted services, and housing support.

“With the Government emergency housing reduction target having been met, we expect regional leaders’ focus to be on achieving sustainable housing for people currently in emergency housing and offering other support for those who are not eligible.

“At the moment we know the destinations of just under 80% of those who leave emergency housing. They continue to receive ongoing government support with rental costs in transitional housing, public housing or private housing.

“Regional leaders will be strengthening their work in this area by drawing on the intensive emergency housing support services we fund. We have a lot of help for people to take their next steps, so that people don’t end up back in immediate housing need.

“These services have been found to be highly effective and include intensive case managers, housing brokers, and community-based navigators.

“We want to increase the number of people who go into sustainable housing.

“People who are eligible for emergency housing will continue to get it, with other options and supports actively considered where they are not eligible.

“We expect the number of households in emergency housing to remain broadly stable over the coming year. There are no goals in the letters for regions to reduce the number of households in emergency housing.

“Of those who approach MSD for emergency housing, 89% receive either emergency housing, transitional housing, help with a private rental, or hardship assistance.[March 2026 quarter data]

“In terms of rough sleepers, we would encourage anyone in immediate housing need to approach us for help. In addition, the new Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport leads a wider programme of work on rough sleeping, with more outreach and support services announced last month by Minister Potaka.

“As is usual, we follow up the performance letter and the performance measure document with the development of detailed indicators for each region, reflecting the overarching goals. Those will go out in coming weeks,” said Graham Allpress.

Background information on emergency housing:

For more information on emergency housing policies – please see here.

In March 2024 Ministers signalled their intention to end the large-scale use of emergency housing.

This included a decision for MSD to strengthen processes for those entering emergency housing, and bringing in clearer obligations for emergency housing assistance.

Emergency housing eligibility criteria and processes were tightened in August 2024.

These changes were introduced to make sure Emergency Housing is a last resort.

People need to exhaust all other options before they are eligible for emergency housing, These may include including staying with family or friends, viewing private rentals and applying for them, or accepting other supports MSD is able to offer.

MSD may decline emergency housing if someone has caused or contributed to their need for emergency accommodation.

For example:

If they’ve moved out of their accommodation without a good reason without another place to move into. (Note someone leaving housing because they are experiencing family violence will not be considered to have caused or contributed to their immediate emergency housing need)
Someone having to leave their accommodation because they intentionally damaged the property, or didn’t follow the supplier’s rules of stay.
Someone having to leave their accommodation because they engaged in anti-social behaviour such a violence or theft.

After a week of staying in emergency accommodation, people have responsibilities to make a good effort to search for housing, and work with our support services to do so.