​Chatbot to help renters released today

“Rentbot” makes information about tenancy law more accessible to the over 2.9 million people in New Zealand who use Facebook. Rentbot is a free digital assistant to answer questions about renting, and the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords. It can be...

Wellington to expand affordable apartment model

Earlier this year, the Council entered a 15-year agreement with a local property development company to convert the former Freemason House on Willis Street, into 35 apartments, called Te Kāinga Aroha. Council will lease the quality one-, two- and three-bedroom...

​ Kiwi start-up launches high-tech healthy homes monitoring

A New Zealand start-up has launched a low cost, high-tech home environmental monitoring system that is already helping landlords like Housing New Zealand mitigate health risks to tenant families from common but deadly ailments like asthma and rheumatic fever. New...

First Street Appeal for Wellington Night Shelter

This appeal is to help raise funds for running costs and ongoing refurbishment to update the accommodation facilities that over 300 men access every year. The Wellington Night Shelter provides both housing and support for men on their journey from experiencing...

​Supporting Māori into home ownership

Te Tihi o Ruahine Whānau Ora Alliance based in Palmerston North is holding an information evening tonight about their home ownership trial that is part of a nationwide programme called Te Ara Mauwhare. “Te Ara Mauwhare is an opportunity to look at innovative...

Chief executive Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

“I am very pleased to appoint Mr Crisp to this role,” the Commissioner said. “Mr Crisp is a seasoned public servant and leader with significant experience working in the housing and urban development sector. “His career includes 13 years in senior and executive...

​First families get payments by Christmas

The regulation changes were agreed by Cabinet last Monday, and became effective on Friday. The first payments were processed as soon as the regulation came into force. Phil Twyford said Housing NZ is fronting up and redressing the hardships caused by the meth debacle....

Queenstown’s Joan of Arc is battling for affordable housing

Not all heroes wear capes. Sometimes they walk among us and perform their magic without needing to transform into someone different. It’s the seemingly ordinary-looking jobs that can have a tremendous effect. Meet Julie Scott, the executive officer of the Queenstown...

Auckland home consents hit 13,000

A total of 13,078 new homes were consented in the region in the year ended October 2018 – up 25 percent from the year before, and four times as many as the low point in the August 2009 year. “Home permits in Auckland briefly reached a similar high level in the early...