New funding for emergency housing in Auckland

James Liston Hostel will use the funds to increase capacity by five new beds to a total of 40 beds, allow for the provision of specialised rapid intake rooms, additional meeting and activity rooms and much needed renovations to the building itself. Alongside a new...

More emergency housing for Salvation Army

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett announced last week that Budget 2016 funding, directly targeted at emergency housing, has so far resulted in 30 organisations providing 3032 new and existing emergency places. “I am delighted that the Salvation Army has certainty...

The Property Institute wants LVR exemption for first home buyers

New figures from Statistics New Zealand have revealed that 78 per cent of those currently renting – or 458,000 households – have a net worth of $120,000 or less which means they cannot afford the 20 per cent deposit on the average New Zealand home required...

Geoff Simmons on ghost houses in Queenstown

Geoff Simmons of the Morgan Foundation looks into the current housing situation in Queenstown and finds a large rate of ghost houses and a housing situation close to Auckland’s crisis. Geoff reports that on the last census night in Queenstown, 40% of houses were...

Northcote development to boost housing supply

The Minister Responsible for Housing New Zealand, Bill English, says the $750 million project will transform the existing 300 properties into about 1200 warmer, drier and healthier homes with a better mix of size and type. “The number of HNZ homes will increase from...

Government should address the demand side of housing crisis

Partner Simon Berry says that “we can draw lessons from Canada, where the Government has taken the responsible step of committing funds and resource to investigating the impact of foreign investors on the housing market.” As a response to burgeoning house prices in...

Vacant land at Counties Manukau DHB to be used for housing

“The Government has approved an application by Counties Manukau DHB to release vacant land at the Manukau SuperClinic Browns Road site,” says Dr Coleman. “It makes sense for DHBs to sell land they don’t need for future use as it allows them to reinvest the proceeds...

Patrick Gemmell appointed as new General Manager of Te Matapihi

Te Matapihi he Tirohanga mo te Iwi Trust is the peak sector body for the Māori housing sector. Earlier this year they signed a funding agreement with Te Puni Kōkiri enabling the Trust to expand its role in supporting He Whare Ahuru, the Māori Housing Network and to...