Attachment 3 T 137 Operational Policy for Pre placement Interview.pdf

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People and Property Team
Operational Policy for Pre-placement Interview
1. Introduction
Management of the Social Housing Register (SHR) is managed by the Ministry of Social
Development (MSD). MSD identifies an applicant’s housing need, priority and housing
requirements as part of their needs assessment, and is responsible for managing this
application until such time they are housed. Housing New Zealand is responsible for matching
applicants from the SHR to available vacant properties, managing tenants, and maintaining the
stock of social houses.
The placement of applicants into Housing New Zealand properties is based on the information
provided from MSD. The information includes but is not limited to location, bedrooms required
and other property and neighbourhood characteristics. Placement decisions are based on the
applicants’ needs and the sustainability of the placement. Applicants with the highest priority
from the social housing register are matched first, except in exceptional circumstances or where
a business initiated transfer (BIT) takes priority.
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Matching applicants to properties is done through Housing New Zealand’s tenancy
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management system (Kotahi) which is integrated with MSD’s client management system.
Placement support specialists create matches and offers to prospective tenants using the
information sent through by MSD. This can be supplemented by additional information gathered
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during the pre-placement interview process, if a pre-placement interview has taken place.
1.1 Purpose
The purpose of this operational policy is to develop clear and simple pre-placement interview
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guidelines and rationale for placement support specialists and other front line staff to:

identify applicants that need a pre-placement interview in order to gather additional
information to supplement that already provided by MSD

use the additional information to make better informed placement decisions

identify what support applicants may need to sustain their tenancies and put that
support in place

gain a bet er understanding of what health and safety risks applicants may present,
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and consider what mitigations can be put in place to minimise those risks.
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1.2 Objectives
Introducing a pre-placement interview process supports Housing New Zealand strategic goals
and strategic outcomes. Increasing our understanding of the needs and challenges faced by
applicants on the MSD Social Housing Register wil enable Housing New Zealand to:

put applicants needs at the centre of our decision making process, improving the
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quality of placement decisions

focus resources on those most in need of help to sustain their tenancies

gather additional information on household members so that placement decisions take
into account the interests of children within the household and other vulnerable
household members

develop a deeper understanding of different applicant groups

put in place tailored strategies to support applicants future needs
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Attachment 3_ T-137 Operational Policy for Pre-placement Interview (A6430215)
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People and Property Team
Operational Policy for Pre-placement Interview

ensure our placement service delivery model is fit for purpose

enable our tenancy managers to monitor and track progress in improving the
sustainability of tenancies

engage more effectively and confidently with social support providers

better manage the health, safety and security risks presented by some of our
customers

reduce the number of bypasses and vetoes occurring in the placement process.
1.3 Scope
In scope
The scope of the operational policy was determined by the pre-placement interview pilot and
includes the rational for implementing pre-placement interviews, selection criteria for carrying-
out interviews, desired outcomes and support mechanisms for sustaining tenancies, and health
safety and security risk mitigation strategies.
Declining to house applicants that present with unacceptably high risk health and safety and
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security issues has been included in scope. However, it should be noted that the Complex
Customers Operational Policy, on which section 4 5 Declining to House Outcome is based, has
yet to formally be approved by Housing New Zealand. Therefore, this section is included as a
placeholder subject to formal sign off of the Complex Customers Policy. The Complex
Customers Operational Policy wil  be presented to the Policy leadership Group as part of the full
placement Policy refresh.
Out of scope
The  following  were  considered  out  of  scope:  business  initiated  transfers  (BIT)  and  other
specialised applicant groups such as Ch ld Sex Offenders (CSOs), refugees etc. How the pre-
placement interview process wil  apply to specific applicant groups wil  be confirmed in a general
placement policy review.
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2. Strategic framework
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The operational policy on pre-placement interviews has been developed using information
collated from the pre-placement pilot trial and the strategic and legal framework in which
Housing New Zealand operates.
Pre-placement Interview Pilot findings
By gathering additional information, a clearer picture of the holistic needs and risks the applicant
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presented with could be established, which leads to better placement decision making.
Housing New Zealand Strategic Plan 2017-2021
Our social housing role is to provide good quality homes to those in most need and support our
customers to sustain their tenancies for the duration of their housing need by linking them to
support agencies.
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People and Property Team
Operational Policy for Pre-placement Interview
To be successful, we need to increase our understanding of our customers and put their needs
at the centre of our decisions. Carrying-out pre-placement interviews enables us to gather the
additional information we need to support applicants to sustain their tenancies.
A more efficient and effective placement process contributes to the Government’s Better Public
Services target of improving access to social housing, with a target of reducing the median
number of days to house ‘A’ priority applicants from the social housing register by 20 per cent
by 2021.
As part of our Organisational Strategy to be a reliably high-performing organisation, the health,
safety and security of our staff needs to be woven into our every day routines and activities.
Carrying-out pre-placement interviews identifies risks that may other wise be missed, equipping
our staff to better assess safety and security risks and make good judgement calls.
Legislation
The following relevant legislation was referenced in the development of these placement
guidelines.

The Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters Act (HRTMA) 1992 – describes
specific powers and functions of Housing New Zealand, specifically in regards to the
placement of an applicant from the MSD Socia Housing Register into a vacant
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Housing New Zealand property.

Section 75 of the HRTMA – confirms that Housing New Zealand may review a
placement and can allocate a prospective tenant on the MSD social housing register to
particular Housing New Zealand housing.

Section 76 of the HRTMA – puts limits on the obligations of Housing New Zealand to
MSD. Nothing in the HRTM Act requires Housing New Zealand to provide any housing
or particular housing to a tenant referred or allocated to Housing New Zealand by the
agency (MSD).

Housing Corporation Act 1974 (HCA) – section 3B requires Housing New Zealand to
act in a business-like manner, and be an organisation that:

exhibits a sense of social responsibility by having regard to the interests of the
community in which it operates
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
exhibits a sense of environmental responsibility by having regard to the
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environmental implications of its operations

operates with good financial oversight and stewardship, and ef iciently and
effectively manage its assets and liabilities and the Crown’s investment.

Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) – section 30 imposes a duty to manage
risks requiring Housing New Zealand:

to eliminate risks to health and safety, so far as is reasonably practicable; and
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
if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate risks to health and safety, to
minimise those risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

Section 36 of the HSWA – requires Housing New Zealand to ensure, as far as
reasonably practicable, the health and safety of:

workers who work for Housing New Zealand, while the workers are at work in the
undertaking

workers whose activities in carrying-out work are influenced or directed by
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People and Property Team
Operational Policy for Pre-placement Interview
Housing New Zealand, while the workers are carrying-out the work, including the
provision and maintenance of a work environment that is without risks to health
and safety.

Other relevant legislation

Privacy Act 1993.

Human Rights Act 1993.

New Zealand Bil  of Rights Act 1990.

Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
3. High level process
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The high level process for pre-placement interviews consists of 3 stages

Determine if additional information is required to supplement the information already
provided to Housing New Zealand by MSD. This determination occurs after we have
matched the applicant to a vacant property, and following discussion with the tenancy
manager. We need to have confirmed with MSD that the applicant is stil  on the Social
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Housing Register and obtain the applicants’ contact details from MSD (offer stage
MSDR).

Arrange and complete the pre-placement interview with the applicant(s) and their
support person(s), if they have one, to identify if additional support is needed to sustain
their tenancy, or if they may present a health, safety and security risk to staff and
others.

Implement outcomes by setting up a Housing Action Plan (HAP) and/or referring
applicant to support providers and/or put ing in place health, safety and security
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mitigations. If following the pre-placement interview we decide not to progress the of er,
it wil  be withdrawn in Kotahi.
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4. Policy
Housing New Zealand wil  carry-out pre-placement interviews if it is determined that additional
information is required to ensure good placement decision making, there is the need to link the
applicant to support providers to help sustain their tenancy, or there is the need to put in place
risk mitigation strategies.
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Housing New Zealand staff wil  behave with integrity, fairness, impartiality and empathy towards
applicants and their support person(s) when conducting pre-placement interviews. Staff wil
perform their duties efficiently, professionally and conscientiously in accordance with the State
Services Commission: Standards of Integrity and Conduct. Refer to Housing New Zealand H-
109 Standards of Integrity and Conduct.
The pre-placement interview wil  take place prior to the offer being made to the applicant at the
pre-match/match placement stage. This is to ensure the applicant is not put in a position of an
unsustainable tenancy.
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Attachment 3_ T-137 Operational Policy for Pre-placement Interview (A6430215)
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People and Property Team
Operational Policy for Pre-placement Interview
Applicants selected for pre-placement interview wil  be informed of the reasons for the interview,
how the information provided by them wil  be used, and their rights to see the information and
make corrections if the information recorded by Housing New Zealand is incorrect.
Applicants may decline to participate in the pre-placement interview or decline to answer
specific questions. Participation is not mandatory and the placement should continue based on
the information provided by MSD. However, the applicant should be encouraged to participate
as they are more likely to achieve a bet er housing outcome if we have adequate information
concerning their support needs and potential risk profile.
Where it is identified the applicant requires support to sustain their tenancy, they must be invited
to participate in a Housing Action Plan (HAP) that wil  be set up by the placement support
specialist and implemented by the tenancy manager once the applicant is housed. The tenancy
manager is responsible for referring the applicant to MSD or other social support providers
identified in the HAP.
Applicants already receiving support, including those transitioning from MSD emergency and
transitional housing, wil  be encouraged to continue receiving support, and the tenancy manager
may intervene to ensure support providers are aware their clients have been rehoused to
facilitate and ensure continued support remains in place (subject to the applicant having signed
the Privacy Statement).
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Where it is identified the applicant may pose a health  safety and security risk to staff or others,
the placement support specialist wil  up date CRIP ratings, invite the applicant to participate in a
HAP, and enter information gathered in the pre-placement interview into a HAP after the
tenancy has started. The tenancy manager may refer the applicant to social support providers
and wil  manage the tenancy through the HAP.
The placement support specialist is responsible for setting up a safe work plan (SWP) if
required for the pre-placement interview and wil  alert the tenancy manager to the requirement
for a (SWP) to be put in place for future interactions with the tenant.
Applicants wil  be made aware of their rights to make a complaint if dissatisfied with the pre-
placement interview process or outcome. This includes seeking a review of any decisions to the
Review Office/Housing New Zealand Internal Ombudsman.
Where an applicant has undergone a pre-placement interview, this wil  be noted under the
person details section in Kotahi. The information contained in the pre-placement interview sheet
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wil  be recorded in a way that it is retrievable. Whether or not the applicant is housed, the
information gathered wil  be scanned and saved in a pre-placement folder created for the
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purpose in objective. The name(s) of applicants wil  be searched prior to commencing a pre-
placement interview to avoid duplicate pre-placement interviews.
5. Eligibility for pre-placement interview
Not all applicants on the MSD Social Housing Register wil  need a pre-placement interview. The
majority of applicants can be adequately matched without the need for additional information.
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Pre placement interviews wil  be undertaken by exception only, at the discretion of the
placement support specialist and in conjunction with the tenancy manager, as required.
Interviews wil  not be undertaken where the decision to carry-out an interview could be viewed
as being subjective, intuitive, judgemental, displaying personal bias, or influenced by a vested
interest.
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People and Property Team
Operational Policy for Pre-placement Interview
7. Records
Retain all records within Housing New Zealand's records system - refer 'Records retention and
disposal' (R-105).
8. Version control
Details of previous versions are stored in Housing New Zealand’s document management
system (Objective). Refer to header and footer information for reference document elements or
for any queries contact s 9(2)(g)(ii)

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Attachment 3_ T-137 Operational Policy for Pre-placement Interview (A6430215)
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