Christchurch's lack of affordable housing isn't the only social crisis in the city.

That from the Human Rights Commissioner, at a Christchurch City Council forum aimed at tackling the problem of homelessness in the city.

Human Rights Commissioner Richard Tankersley says it's not just about affordability, it's about quality as well.

"Affordability is not enough, though human right that applies to housing is the right to adequate housing, not to just affordable housing."

The Salvation Army acknowledges it is also struggling to re-integrate New Zealand-born criminals into the Christchurch, as Australia takes a hard line approach on deportation.

Legislation changes have resulted in a wave of deportees coming back home from across the ditch.

National operations manager Glen Buckner says its become increasingly difficult to re-integrate deportees into the community, when the city's already facing a housing crisis.

"We have the people here already that don't have the housing and we have people who have been sent from a country that no longer want them to come to New Zealand."

Richard Tankersley says there's a dialogue that's not happening in New Zealand, and it's leaving vulnerable residents in the lurch.