Left behind - why boomtown New Zealand has a homelessness crisis

FILE PHOTO: Sister Josefa uses a sewing machine as she teaches sewing at the Compassion Soup Kitchen in Wellington, New Zealand, May 16, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Barrett/File Photo

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's dairy-fuelled economy has for several years been the envy of the rich world, yet despite the rise in prosperity tens of thousands of residents are sleeping in cars, shop entrances and alleyways.

The emerging crisis has created a milestone that New Zealanders won't be proud of: the highest homelessness rate among the 35 high-income OECD countries.