Over the last week we've seen a significant amount of media around the experiences of New Zealand's homeless and how emergency housing providers are stretched trying to respond to their needs. It has galvanised public opinion and the country are horrified at what they have learned of the plights of homeless individuals and families and the people trying to find housing for them
The Minister of Finance made pre-budget announcements housing policy this week. In his speech, the Finance Minister stated that a principle cause of affordability issues, in Auckland in particular, arise from planning rules set by councils that restrict, delay and raise the cost of development.
Can you provide the leadership to support the growth and development of the Māori housing sector in Aotearoa New Zealand? Te Matapihi has created a new Manager role that will be based in either the Wellington or Auckland Community Housing Aotearoa office.
The hidden homeless and costs of the lack of affordable housing are explored in these two media items.
TV3's the Nation looks at the current hidden homeless situation in Auckland and Salvation Army talk to Radio New Zealand and say the Government can't continue to ignore the growing numbers of people forced to live in cars, shipping containers and garages.
In this newsletter we have a focus on emergency housing.
Government have announced it will fund , at any one time, 800 emergency housing places around the country- about 3000 emergency housing places across the country each year for the next four years. The Government will provide $41.1 million over the next four years in Budget 2016 for emergency housing and grants.
The Herald's Home Truths series has highlighted the serious problems that make housing unaffordable - but also pointed to some solutions, writes Andrew Laxon.
Home truths in Auckland's housing
In an article in the Herald today, Nicholas Ross Smith and Zbigniew Dumienski (lecturers in politics and international relations at the University of Auckland) say that land tax is arguably the simplest, easiest to administer and most effective solution to housing unaffordability.
An MOU has been signed between Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, the Hobsonville Land Company and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for housing developments in north-west Auckland. “The first development to progress with Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara will be the nine hectare Village Precinct in Hobsonville of 400 homes. The subdivision is to proceed next summer with the first homes to be completed in early 2018.
