ANDY JACKSON/STUFF

The Government is expanding the Housing First programme in an effort to address homelessness in the regions, including both Nelson and Blenheim.

Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese has welcomed a Government housing initiative due to break ground in Nelson.

Housing Minister Phil Twyford has announced as part of Budget 2018, both Nelson and Blenheim will be included in an expanded rollout of the Housing First programme.

It's part of a $63.4 million budget allocation to see the programme, which has been under way in Auckland since 2017, expanded to seven more regions over the next four years.

It's intended to reduce homelessness by placing an emphasis on getting people into stable housing first before other issues, including mental health, substance abuse and employment, are addressed.

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Reese said the Nelson region has had considerable growth, putting pressure on both housing prices and supply.

"We have been working closely with the Minister's office and the Ministry of Social Development regarding Nelson's housing issues, and our strong desire to address the complex needs of homeless people," she said.

"We greatly appreciate the Minister's decision to include Nelson as part of the Housing First Programme, as there is a real need in our city to help the growing number of vulnerable people who are unable to access suitable housing."

Twyford said both Nelson and Blenheim had a number of people in insecure housing, transitional housing and receiving Emergency Housing Special Needs Grants.

"A process is currently being worked through to determine the exact amount of funding and number of places the area will receive," he said.

Former Labour candidate for Nelson Rachel Boyack said Labour had campaigned strongly on Nelson housing during last year's election campaign.

"I'm really excited that within the first year of Labour coming into office we've seen the announcement of this really fantastic programme."

The nuts and bolts of how it would work in Nelson – including which agencies would be involved, and how the Government's state housing building programme would sit alongside it – were still to be determined. 

"There are a lot of agencies locally that have been calling on this type of approach... calling for Government agencies to work together and come up with a real strategy around housing," Boyack said.

 In Auckland, the Housing First programme has been under way since March 2017, and is delivered by service providers Kāhui Tū Kaha, Auckland City Mission, Lifewise, LinkPeople and VisionWest.

​The agencies work with the council, Housing New Zealand, property agents and private landlords, as well as range of health and social services, to first find homes for homeless people and then address their other needs.

 - Stuff