May 23, 2019
HomeGround mission gets council pūtea for homeless
Auckland Council has given a project to house some of the city’s long term homeless a $5 million boost.
The Auckland City Mission’s HomeGround development on Hobson St will include 80 housing units as well as a large medical centre, detox centre, educational and training facilities, crisis care emergency support, meals and food distribution services.
City Missioner Chris Farrelly says the donation is a sign of the increasing commitment by local and central government to address homelessness, including through the Housing First model.
Under that model of housing plus wraparound support from the mission and its partner Lifewise have housed almost 100 people over the past year and a half, including many who have been on the streets for more than a decade.
"They’re waking up in a home. There will be peer support people going in, people who will help them with their budgeting and their cleaning and mental health professionals and addicition professionals, how to keep the bros out from partying, how to generally live in a home and grow into wellness. It’s working," Mr Farrelly says.
More than half the city’s rough sleepers are Māori.
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