Tāmaki Makaurau – New Zealand is struggling to find answers for people who are homeless.
Estimates based on the 2018 census, by University of Otago researchers and the Ministry of Housing, found 102,123 people, 2.2 percent of the population, were severely housing deprived.
This included 41,724 people living without shelter, in temporary accommodation or sharing accommodation and 60,399 in uninhabitable housing that was lacking one of six basic amenities: tap water that is safe to drink; electricity; cooking facilities; a kitchen sink; a bath or shower; a toilet.
Researchers said the figures were likely to be underestimated, given that homeless people would have had difficulty taking part in the mostly-online census.
But Los Angeles has found one answer to help homeless people – shipping containers. A number of housing complexes have been developed to try and help homeless populations across the US.
A new three-storey complex from shipping containers offers 232 housing units, including a commercial kitchen, dining area, laundry facilities and administrative spaces.
The containers are private apartments specifically for homelessness people. Reports suggest there are at least 60,000 people in the LA area who are experiencing homelessness.
When the coronavirus pandemic struck last year, the county moved forward with the housing plans.
With the unhoused population growing and increasingly at risk during covid, the need was immediate.
The site also has landscaped courtyards, a dog park, and parking spots for staff and residents.
To make the containers suitable for habitation, the team cut large windows in them and fully insulated the walls and ceiling. Each container holds two living areas and they are equipped with a bed, microwave, mini-fridge and flat-screen TV.
To help mitigate the spread of covid, and to help increase the residents’ autonomy, all units at the complex have their own heating and ventilation systems.
Meanwhile, In February 2020 the New Zealand government announced and begun implementing the Aotearoa New Zealand homelessness action plan. It was developed with the homeless sector and is the first plan of its kind led by the government.
