A new initiative housing some of Christchurch's vulnerable young homeless has faced many challenges along the way.

LISTEN ABOVE: Annie Watkin speaks to Chris Lynch on Canterbury Mornings

Last year the Christchurch City Council funded a pilot accommodation programme, subsiding rents to get young people off the street.

The Methodist Mission and Youth and Cultural Development now subsidise rent for a number of families and young people.

YCD general manager Annie Watkin said it was difficult to get a landlord to rent to them, and for people to adjust.

"We had an expectation that these six young people would have their own separate bedrooms and that they would thrive. In fact, it created a sense of loneliness and separation. For the first little while they would pull their mattresses and blankets out and sleep in the lounge."

Ms Watkin said it's been tough finding landlords to accept previously homeless people and even harder for people to adjust after living on the streets.

She said the next step is to get them certainty and offer more rental options.

"Trying to place those young people that haven't moved already into rental accommodation. The preferred would be that we'd be the landlord or the Methodist Mission own the properties."