This article examines the housing experiences of marginalized urban groups within the context of social and economic shifts which have occurred in recent decades. The authors review the residential mobility experiences of two samples of respondents who represent groups marginalized within the New Zealand housing market: the seriously mentally ill and the poorly housed. Data from these groups was compared to a sample drawn from the general population. The results indicate that for the two research samples, moving house, which is commonly regarded as a stressful experience, actually contributed to improved mental health. However, due to changing public housing policy in New Zealand, for many moving was not an option despite a high level of housing dissatisfaction and a strong desire to move (authors).
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