A housing trust says taxpayers should feel like their money's been wasted.  

The Auditor-General has criticised the Social Development Ministry renting private properties for emergency housing.  

37-million dollars went to Auckland private landlords and property managers between November 2017 and June 2020.  

The Ministry's stopped using them, after concerns about the impact on the private market. 

Monte Cecilia Trust chief executive Bernie Smith told Heather du Plessis-Allan they made a complaint about it. 

“They never came to us and to other transitional housing providers that could’ve provided homes at half or a third of the cost.” 

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