Abstract
Who lives in public housing in Aotearoa New Zealand? And do they have higher levels of need compared with people receiving other forms of housing support? This Briefing examines the differences between people living in public housing and those supported by the Accommodation Supplement. We compare the sociodemographic characteristics of each group and their interactions with government services in the five years before they started receiving housing support, to critically examine the disparities in their needs.
Contrary to a government-commissioned review, we find that the Public Housing cohort are significantly more vulnerable across multiple domains, and are more likely to be Māori, Pacific Peoples, children, single parents, and to have been living in overcrowded, damp, and mouldy homes in high-deprivation areas. They also have higher rates of hospitalisations, mental health service use, and judicial system interactions prior to receiving housing support.
We conclude that early intervention and maintaining and expanding public housing stock will help to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations.