Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) is urging Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford to see that warm and dry homes are built on 29ha of newly-acquired land – not rotting damp homes that need maintenance and force occupants to spend up large on heating bills.
The organisation's CEO Scott Figenshow says news the Government is buying Unitec’s Mt Albert campus to build up to 4000 homes is a great step towards ensuring all New Zealanders are well-housed.
The development will be a mix of affordable KiwiBuild homes for first homebuyers, public housing and open market houses.
Figenshow says: “But if the Government wants to meet its goal of building 100,000 warm, dry, affordable homes, it needs to work with community housing providers to get there.
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“Community housing providers are in your neighbourhood and have been undertaking this work for years. They work closely with specialist mental health and social services, providing a seamless integration that supports people to live in their own homes.”
Figenshow says community housing providers have the experience and expertise to provide permanent affordability through a variety of tried and tested models, including shared ownership, rent to buy, and other mechanisms.
“As a sector, we’re very keen to work with the Government to ensure all Kiwis are well-housed. The Government can’t do it alone, and we’re here to help.”
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says it won’t be easy to achieve the government’s massive house-building ambitions.
“In recent years, construction costs have gone up by over 7 per cent a year, skills shortages have worsened and the infrastructure costs of both green and brownfield developments have exceeded council’s revenue and borrowing capacity,” says the former Labour MP.
“Tackling Auckland’s housing needs is key to addressing some of the country’s most pressing social needs and achieving more affordable homes will take pressure off house prices across the country.”
Twyford says too many Aucklanders are suffering because of the housing crisis, saysing his Government will not sit around while children are living in cars and families are cramped into overcrowded housing.
He says: "This is a beautiful and historic piece of land with natural features such as the Oakley Stream running through it. It’s close to education, employment and public transport. This new community will have open spaces, new parks and shops.”
Unitec chairman, Dr Lee Mathias, says the introduction of new homes would create a vibrant space around the campus. The sale of surplus land freed up capital currently used for maintenance work and provided funding for the institute’s ongoing development.
Shadow housing minister Judith Collins says her previous government signed off on plans to develop land for housing and accused Twyford of 're-badging' its decisions.
