The relationship between housing stressors and mental health is examin
ed with respect to samples of two marginalised populations in urban Ne
m Zealand: people with mental health problems (n = 203), and public ho
using applicants in serious housing need (n = 279). Data are drawn fro
m two cities, Auckland and Christchurch. Evaluations of their housing
by respondents themselves and trained interviewers revealed that these
groups mere significantly disadvantaged compared to the mean for urba
n New Zealanders, as measured by a random sample (n = 100). Analysis u
sing a scale of housing stressors and the General Health Questionnaire
revealed the particularly marginalised positions of women and ethnic
minority groups in the housing market.