Shadi Al Mahamid, 39, arrived in Dunedin in 2024 under the refugee quota programme from war-torn Syria.
He is unemployed, takes medications for his conditions and showed the Otago Daily Times paperwork from two recent hospital admissions.
Mr Al Mahamid had become homeless when he separated from his wife and said he needed to find somewhere to live that was safe for his four children to visit.
Medical professionals had written him letters of support, including a recent letter from his GP calling on authorities to provide "urgent access to appropriate housing".
However, he has been declined access to the government’s emergency housing scheme, which provides short-term stays in accommodation such as motels.
Ministry of Social Development regional director Sue Rissman said he was on the waiting list for a state house, but ineligible for emergency housing because he had "contributed to his own homelessness".
Mr Al Mahamid had declined the option of a private room in a boarding house.
In 2024, Social Development Minister Louise Upston said reducing the use of emergency housing would be achieved by methods including "reviewing eligibility settings".
Under another scheme, called transitional housing, the government contracts charities to provide temporary accommodation and help look for more permanent homes.
However, the charities have the right to refuse to take someone into their care.
Mr Al Mahamid said three months ago MSD had referred him to the Emerge charity, but the referral only gave him access to a worker who helped him look for private rentals.
It did not provide a roof over his head.
Ms Rissman confirmed her department had been "working with Mr Al Mahamid since October to support his search for accommodation".
Her department had also "referred him for consideration from transitional housing providers, but Mr Al Mahamid has told housing providers that he requires a multiple bedroom property".
Mr Al Mahamid disputed the claim, saying he hoped he would eventually get a two-bed permanent home — so his children could stay the night — but would accept a one-bed, temporary home under the transitional housing scheme.
MSD acting regional director Teesh Payn said Mr Al Mahamid had been "referred for consideration by transitional housing providers on a number of occasions, but they have declined to accept him as a guest".
The department said it had been "challenging" to help Mr Al Mahamid but it was "pleased" that he would now consider one-bed housing.
A Kāinga Ora spokesperson said the agency did not have any one-bedroom homes available in the Dunedin area at the moment, but was "looking at delivering some more one-bedroom homes in the next financial year".
