​Tackling barriers to Māori housing

Iwi, financial and legal experts, banking sector representatives and Māori housing providers have gathered for the wānanaga in Auckland, hosted by Te Matapihi, with support from Te Puni Kōkiri. “Getting finance is one of the biggest barriers that whānau face to build...

KiwiBuild pre-qualification opens

From today, aspiring homeowners can apply online at kiwibuild.govt.nz to determine if they are eligible to enter a ballot for a KiwiBuild home. Phil Twyford says the opening of the pre-qualification process is good news for New Zealanders who are locked out of the...

Rent arrears, a big issue for the rental property industry

“It can also take many weeks to even get a Tenancy Tribunal hearing, while tenants can sit in a property without paying rent. Without a Tenancy Tribunal order you cannot get a non-paying tenant out of your property. Even when you do, it can then take many more...

Meth-testing compensation claims by Housing NZ tenants

State Housing Action Network has written to Housing Minister Phil Twyford asking the government to appoint an independent group to assess compensation claims from tenants and families evicted in Housing New Zealand’s meth-testing fiasco We have told Twyford that HNZ...
The homeless chap with the cat

The homeless chap with the cat

When I was interviewed 11 months ago for the executive administration role, I was asked why I wanted the job. I said “I want to do something worthy,” having had a series of meaningless government department roles. Now that I work in the community housing...

19 new homes for South Auckland families

Associate Housing and Urban Development Minister Jenny Salesa formally opened the housing development on Sturdee Road. The development is a joint project: Housing New Zealand (HNZ) built the housing and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has contracted STRIVE...

More people in need of housing this winter

“There are now 8704 households on the waiting list for a state house, up from 7890, or 9 per cent, in the past three months. That’s up a massive 56 per cent increase on the same time last year and shows the extent the housing crisis is hurting New Zealanders,” he...