Dunedin Night Shelter manager David McKenzie told The Star a combination of high demand and increased capacity meant the facility had experienced its highest ever occupancy in May — sheltering 52 people from the winter cold.
The Dunedin Night Shelter in Lees St was officially reopened in March after extensive renovations and expansion, meaning at full capacity it can provide beds for 11 people. The project was led by Stewart Construction Ltd and involved many local contractors.
The redeveloped shelter has an expanded ground floor, an accessible bedroom and bathroom, increased living and dining spaces, a larger and improved kitchen, a professional office space, a sprinkler system and storage for donations.
The on-site Phoenix Lodge, which provides medium-term accommodation and reintegration support to recently released prisoners, is also back up and running.
Mr McKenzie said the improved surroundings of the night shelter made it easier to manage complex situations, but it was still only single-staffed at night, which meant there were limitations.
The issue of homelessness has been much-discussed this month, both on a national and local level. Government minister in charge of emergency housing Tama Potaka is under pressure as agencies say homelessness has increased under his government.
Also nationally, a rise in the number of people sleeping rough has resulted in 30 local authorities, including Dunedin City Council, joining forces to form a new steering group, Te Ka ¯uru.
The group aims to provide a forum for councils to share ideas on ways to prevent homelessness and support street sleepers, as well as those sleeping in cars, garages and couch surfing. Locally, the news this week that Ka ¯inga Ora was scrapping 10 housing projects, which would have provided 120 homes across Dunedin, was greeted with concern. The discontinued projects included a 42-home development in Carroll St, a 32-home development in Stafford St and an 11-home development in Albertson Ave, Port Chalmers.
Mr McKenzie said the loss of potential homes for people in need would make it harder for the Dunedin Night Shelter and other social agencies to support people to find longterm accommodation, which was what most really wanted and needed.
"The fact that the Carroll St project and others have been cancelled is a disaster," he said.
"The number of places we can refer people who are in urgent need of accommodation to continues to dwindle."
While the situation of the small number of people who were camping out at the Kensington Oval was synonymous in people’s minds with the homelessness situation in Dunedin, the picture was much more complicated, Mr McKenzie said.
The majority of those experiencing housing insecurity were more likely to be moving from couch to couch, staying with friends or family, or sleeping in cars.
"We are seeing an increasing number of people who are finding themselves abruptly having to leave accommodation for a variety of reasons," he said.
Those could be as varied as the loss or death of a partner, a physical or mental health crisis or even the loss of a job.
"People may have been managing their lives OK, and then there is a crisis and they can no longer do so."
At the same time, it was becoming harder for people to get access to transitional housing.
"I would estimate that Dunedin and the South have lost one-third of our transitional housing spaces, which makes a difficult situation even worse."
Some of those people were ending up sleeping in cars, often for the first time, and did not know the safest places to sleep.
"So for those people, the night shelter can be a place of respite in a chaotic life.
"And we can offer support and ideas for improving their situation."
Even if housing was available, it was not always as simple as just providing people with a house or flat, as some needed a lot of support to make a successful go of it, Mr McKenzie said.
"This is when we need people to engage with agencies and make the most of the support available."
Like other social agencies, the Dunedin Night Shelter was experiencing a drop in donations of both funds and goods, as the community battled with the cost of living, Mr McKenzie said.
"We are always in need of funds, but also things like ingredients for good, basic meals are welcome," he said.
The shelter also needs king single sheet sets and other household items such as dish detergent and washing powder.
For more information and to donate, visit www.dunedinnightshelter.co.nz
- The number of places we can refer people who are in urgent need of accommodation to continues to dwindle
