Social Housing need – A ticking time bomb

National’s announcement today of successful applicants to the $25.3 million Social Housing Unit (SHU) Growth Fund is just a drop in the ocean, the Green Party said today.

“The housing crisis is a ticking time bomb, said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

“We urgently need to increase the supply of housing to cover the 70,000 house deficit we have in New Zealand. At this pace it will take decades.

“Meanwhile, families struggle with high cost, low quality, overcrowded housing while some don’t even have that.

“The Social Housing Unit is there to address housing deprivation but its funding is only a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed.

“The Government’s state housing contribution is winding down faster than the Social Housing Unit is winding up and the Government is still starving it of the funding it needs.

“The Government has changed the eligibility for the state house waiting list to hide the problem but it hasn’t gone away. There are still many thousands of families out there in need,” said Mrs Turei.

The Government’s Home and Housed report found that there is a shortage of 70,000 houses in New Zealand, and that 8,500-20,000 New Zealand households have extreme housing issues.

"The Green Party fully supports investment in community housing but $40 million will only build around 120 houses - it is a drop in the ocean compared to the need out there.

“If the Government was genuinely interested in solving New Zealand’s housing problems they would invest in a major state house building programme that would also help to create jobs.

“We propose investing in 2,000 state and social houses over the next 3 years to safely house New Zealand families in desperate need.”

For further information:
Green Jobs Package - http://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/gp_jobsbooklet_20final.pdf
Home and Housed: A Vision for Social Housing in New Zealand report - http://www.dbh.govt.nz/vision-for-social-housing-nz

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