New Zealand: average stay in emergency housing rises seven-fold in five years

A homeless man on a street in Auckland. New Zealanders are staying longer than ever in emergency social housing, figures show, with 63 households there for more than two years. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Homeless New Zealanders are spending longer living in motel emergency housing than ever before, with some staying in what is meant to be short-term accommodation for months, or even years.

Figures released to the opposition National party show the average number of consecutive weeks’ stay in the accommodation has increased from three weeks in the quarter ending December 2017 to 21 weeks in the latest quarter – a nearly seven-fold increase in five years.