PHOTO: Boulevard Motel – Rotorua purchased by the Government
Nine people have lived at one transitional housing facility for almost five years, while the government does not know where about half of the people who leave transitional housing are going to.
As of 31 April, those nine people had lived at one transitional housing facility for 248 weeks, according to documents provided to RNZ under the Official Information Act.
There are 46 other people living at the same facility, but the government will not say where it is or who runs it.
Transitional housing is meant to be temporary accommodation for people in urgent need of housing. Various housing providers contract to the government, with the idea of offering wrap-around support services to help people “address their needs and move back into long-term accommodation”.
Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) deputy chief executive, housing supply, response and partnerships Anne Shaw said in a statement the facility where the nine people lived provided a service for clients with “high and complex needs including drug and alcohol addiction issues”.
“Clients’ case workers can access specialist services, depending on resident needs, such as onsite counselling, advocacy, medical care, financial supervision and budgeting, and programmes ranging from parenting to anger management,” Shaw said.
“The facility is a safe haven for clients and the length of time taken for them to feel able to take the next step in their journey varies.”
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