Published on 2nd of February, 2026
CMM’s new Outreach Rapid Response (ORR) service is providing support for people who have recently become homeless.
Following the success of the Housing First Ōtautahi programme, which has been operating for over seven years and housed over 450 people, CMM has been offered a new contract to provide outreach services for people experiencing short-term homelessness.
The ORR team, led by Housing First Ōtautahi Manager Nic Fleming, is made up of six outreach workers, a housing locator, administrator, and two nurses with the support of the Rodger Wright Health Centre.
In their first week, outreach workers engaged with nineteen people who had recently become homeless. The youngest was just 17 years old, and the oldest was an 87-year-old woman.
“We’ve seen an alarming increase in homelessness across the city in the past year,” says ORR Manager Nic Fleming. “In 2025, our Housing First waitlist reached the highest point it’s ever been. With the ORR service we want to ensure that people who have just started living on the streets won’t end up there long-term.”
Led by CMM, ORR is a collaboration of six organisations; Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust, Comcare, Emerge Aotearoa, Christchurch City Mission, and the Rodger Wright Health Centre.
CMM Executive Director Jill Hawkey says as homelessness is on the rise, the ORR service will be playing an important role in addressing the increasing need.
“While it’s a short-term contract, we’ll do everything possible to find housing for people during this time.”
