The Government’s flagship housing announcement is a band-aid approach that will push up prices rather than solve the housing crisis, says Labour Leader David Cunliffe.
With only weeks until the General Election, Auckland’s mounting housing crisis will be put under the spotlight in an Election Debate hosted by the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.
Key quotes
On NZ’s ‘housing crisis’:
The Government is doubling support for first home buyers to help tens of thousands more young New Zealanders into home ownership and encourage the building of more affordable new homes, Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith says.
National will continue its programme of reform to the housing sector to increase the number of new affordable homes and ensure fit-for-purpose social housing for New Zealanders most in need, National Party’s Housing Spokesman Dr Nick Smith says.
1. House prices in Auckland
• Council valuations indicate Auckland house prices have gone up by one-third over the last three years. (Auckland Council)
• The average Auckland house price has gone up by nearly $225,000 since 2008, up over $75,000 in the past 12 months. (QV)
• It now takes 50 years to pay off the average house in Auckland. (NZIER)
Christchurch City Council will help fund a collaborative project with Christchurch City Mission and the Government to address emergency housing needs in Canterbury.
Housing Accords in Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty have been agreed by Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and local mayors Ross Patterson and Stuart Crosby today that will provide an additional 1175 new homes and sections over the next two years.
Community associations are to play a more substantial role in social housing. Brierley Penn investigates how.
New Zealand’s housing stock will become a liability for future generations without urgent leadership from government, says CCS Disability Action.
