Homelessness in New Zealand Towards a Standard Definition and Classification May 2015

Background 2009 – first NZ standard definition of homelessness Led by Statistics NZ, cross-government working group Review period of 3 to 5 years Review definition and draft classification Determine uptake and any issues with use

Development Consulted with non-government housing providers, community groups, Māori stakeholders, and government agencies Evaluated international definitions for use in NZ context European Observatory on Homelessness (ETHOS) typology Influential across Europe and worldwide Intersections of 3 domains that make a ‘home’: physical, legal, and social

ETHOS Typology Homelessness = 1 and 2 Housing exclusion =3 – 7 Physical – habitable living conditions Legal – security of tenure Social – privacy/personal space Exclusion from the physical domain Exclusion from the social domain Exclusion from the legal domain

NZ Standard Definition (Statistics NZ, 2009) Living situations where people with no other options to acquire safe and secure housing are: without shelter (e.g., on the street, in makeshift shelter) in temporary accommodation (e.g., night shelter, women’s refuge) sharing accommodation with a household (e.g., staying with family or friends) or living in uninhabitable housing (e.g., dilapidated dwellings)

Comparison to other definitions New Zealand definition includes: Sharing accommodation Uninhabitable housing These are not included by ETHOS model and some other countries (e.g., United States) New Zealand definition does not include: Those at risk for homelessness People in institutional care These are included by some countries (e.g., Sweden, Canada)

Uptake Several large NGOs have adopted the definition and draft classification Meets existing needs Gives weight to statistics for funders Issues identified Some organizations have yet to change over to the definition Training course required for coding the definition Need guidelines for recording transitions among homeless categories (and between homelessness and secure housing)

Next steps Refine definition and draft classification (e.g.wording) Survey organizations to identify issues needing to be addressed Develop training course for definition and guidelines for recording and classifying transitions Potential review of occupied dwelling type statistical standard

Classification 9

Homelessness in New Zealand Towards a Standard Definition and Classification May 2015