Not all motels are keen on having MSD-paid residents because of perceived or actual problems with bad behaviour, however. There are two motels in Waikanae, both close to the town centre; whether either has MSD ‘clients’, we know not.
Blogger Lindsay Mitchell has used the Official Information Act to flush out data on emergency housing from the Ministry for Social Development.
The results have been posted under the heading Motel charges premium for emergency housing.
At long last MSD has updated OIA requests, Mitchell writes. Responses up to November 2019 are on-line
“ … and always make for interesting reading. For instance payments made to the Olive Tree Motel for emergency housing.”
Clients are granted an amount which is paid directly to the motel, Mitchell explains.
In the June 2019 quarter the motel was receiving $265 a night.
But nightly charges per unit range from $145 to $165 according to their website. Charges reduce for longer stays.
The response to another request reveals that over 600 accommodation providers received emergency grants in the June 2019 quarter.
Mitchell wonders how many share a similar premium policy?
It’s certainly a booming ‘industry’ with a 49 percent increase in average grant between Sep 17 quarter and June 19 quarter.
The Key Government began funding emergency housing in late 2015 and before long taxpayers’ money was being used to buy motels to provide this housing.
A few months before the 2017 general election, figures showed Government had spent $550 million in the June quarter to house people but the waiting list for houses was growing.
According to an Interest.com report, Labour slammed this policy as expensive (which implies Labour would be rid of it).