Nearly a third of high school students are facing a form of housing poverty, according to new data.
The Youth19 Housing Deprivation Brief by Auckland University and Victoria University surveyed more than 7700 students from 49 Auckland, Northland and Waikato schools in 2019.
Of the group, about 10 per cent reported they lived in inadequate accommodation and had to sleep in garages, on the floor or had to couch-surf.
Two per cent reported having to sleep in cars, marae, hostels or emergency housing.
Fifteen per cent said their families worried about paying rents or mortgages, 10 per cent said their families have had to split up because accommodation was too small and larger homes were too costly or unavailable, and seven per cent said they moved homes two or more times.
“Most people would be astounded that so many young people turn up to school every day facing such serious housing problems outside of school," Auckland University associate professor Terryann Clark said.
The report noted housing deprivation affected Māori and ethnic minorities more frequently, “which is likely to reflect larger issues of housing unaffordability and ethnic discrimination in renting practices”.
Youth with disabilities and those in the rainbow community were also likely to fare worse than others.
The report's authors are calling for a broad range of measures to be implemented to help youth.
They include making sure families have enough money for accommodation and food, increasing disability allowances and expanding options for state and social housing.
The report also called for rental regulation, increased legal protection for tenants, and disincentivising private investments in rental properties.
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