15 Oct 2024

40% increase in homelessness in Wellington - charity

From Checkpoint, 5:13 pm on 15 October 2024

There's been a 40 percent increase in homelessness in Wellington according to a charity that works with rough sleepers. The Downtown Community Ministry said last September 330 homeless or rough sleepers came to them for help, this September its was up to 464. In the past month it's also seen three people who were turned down for emergency housing since the government introduced tougher eligibility and stand down rules in August. Stephen Turnock is the Director of the Downtown Community Ministry in Wellington and spoke to Lisa Owen.