CHA Media Release – Infrastructure funding welcomed amid hopes of more affordable houses

MEDIA RELEASE, 13 December 2019

Infrastructure funding welcomed amid hopes of more affordable houses

Community housing providers are welcoming the Government’s announcement of new funding for essential infrastructure.

“We’re hoping it will ultimately result in the provision of many more affordable rental homes for New Zealanders struggling to pay their bills and buy groceries,” says Scott Figenshow, Chief Executive of Community Housing Aotearoa.

“Having a good home provides a foundation for a good life, and as a country’s that’s what we must work towards. A housing system that’s functioning well is able to adapt as our circumstances change, but we all know that’s not the situation for many thousands of New Zealanders at the moment.”

Mr Figenshow welcomed the Government’s assurance that a new tool to help councils fund and finance infrastructure could mean some housing developments are able to happen earlier than planned (https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-infrastructure-funding-tool-build-housing-developments-faster).

“Anything that removes the constraints on the development of affordable housing will be a good move.”

He pointed to the use of inclusionary zoning as another potentially useful tool for councils looking to increase the number of affordable homes in their regions.

·Podcast – interview with Mr Figenshow by Local Government New Zealand (https://anchor.fm/lgnz/episodes/What-every-Councillor-should-know-about-inclusionary-zoning-and-affordable-housing-Scott-Figenshow-e6f196)

·Article – one of the country’s leading practitioners under the Resource Management Act, David Mead, argues that it is time for some new tools in housing (https://www.communityhousing.org.nz/resources/article/affordable-housing-and-inclusionary-zoning-time-for-some-new-tools?from_month=&from_year=&to_month=&to_year=&keywords=&type%5B%5D=opinions).