PM denies govt to blame for increase in homelessness

The Prime Minister says he disagrees stricter criteria for emergency housing has led to an increase in homelessness.

Auckland Council's Community Committee has sent a 'please help' letter to the government, after recording a 53 percent rise in people sleeping rough in the city over four months.

The number of Aucklanders in emergency housing also decreased from 735 households last January, to 45 this January.

In January, associate housing minister Tama Potaka said 80 percent of people leaving emergency housing were moving to social, transitional, or private housing.

But on Monday, Housing First Auckland programme manager Rami Alrudani told RNZ outreach workers at his organisation were grappling with "more and more homelessness every day".

He said rising unemployment, a shortage of housing, and the government's crackdown on emergency housing appeared to be driving the increase.

Last year, stricter entry requirements were introduced, along with new requirements making it more difficult to stay in emergency housing long-term.

But Christopher Luxon rejected it was leading to more homelessness.

"We've got a lot of work ahead of us to make sure that we can push back really hardly on homelessness and make sure it's not a problem in New Zealand. But I'd say we are very proud of the work we've done on emergency housing, and sadly the media hasn't talked much about that."

Luxon said rents were stable under his government, as well as a "diminuation" of the social housing waitlist, and people were moving out of emergency housing into proper homes.

He said it was "unacceptable" that children were being raised in motels, and the government had got those families into homes.

"I've met with homeless shelters in the past, I haven't in recent weeks or recent months, but the reality is I'm just saying to you I'm proud of the work we're doing. We're doing a great job.

We talked about emergency housing, I remember being a big issue in the media, and I haven't heard anybody actually really pick up and say 'hey listen, great job, great job, isn't it awesome?'" he said.

"The last government didn't know where 50 percent of people went when they left."

Labour leader Chris Hipkins acknowledged getting people off the streets and into emergency housing was not a "sustainable answer" but Labour was trying to build more houses.

"The government's drive to get people out of emergency accommodation without tracking where they're going undoubtedly has mean that at least some of those people are now back living on the streets again," he said.

Hipkins said Luxon was "out of touch" on the issue.