Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

In New Zealand the community housing sector, although fledgling, has already proved its
strength in building communities with a mix of tenure arrangements and partners including
government-owned state housing.
Labour believes the community housing sector has a pivotal role to play in the provision of
social and affordable housing in New Zealand. We see this role as complementing continued
Government investment in social housing, not replacing it.
Labour will work with the community housing sector to develop it in ways that will see
it complementing an increase in HNZC social housing stock through access to capital
or land. See our „Housing affordability‟ policy for more details.
Labour will work with third sector organisations who can assist tenants to sustain
tenancies in both the public and private sector. Housing New Zealand will be directed
to develop relationships with NGOs that can better support tenants with special
needs eg disabled, elderly, mental health clients, homeless, youth etc.
Labour will, as finances allow, devolve the income related rent subsidy to not for
profit community housing organisations which provide social housing.
Labour will act swiftly to restore charitable status to the community housing sector
under the Charities Act.
Housing affordability
New Zealand is facing a national housing crisis. The Housing Shareholders Advisory Report
released in 2010 highlighted an existing shortage of 70,000 dwellings across the country
with the situation predicted to worsen significantly, particularly in Auckland. The Department
of Building and Housing has also produced a report warning the Government of an expected
further shortage of 25,000 dwellings over the next decade.
Home ownership has been declining in New Zealand with increasing numbers of households
forced to rent as the housing market became increasingly unaffordable.
For Māori and Pacific Island households the level of home ownership is much lower than for
other households. When considering the broader issue of housing affordability specific
regard needs to be given to increasing home ownership rates in these communities.
For these reasons there is an urgent need to develop effective social housing solutions that
enable both home ownership and rental housing that are affordable for low and middle
income households.
Planning for our future: a New Zealand Housing Strategy
Part of the reason that we face the current challenges in housing is because historically New
Zealand has not planned well for changing housing needs.
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