The Right To A Decent Home Is At The Heart Of Living A Good Life

Wednesday, 15 December 2021, 2:02 pm
Press Release: Community Housing Aotearoa

Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) welcomes today’s report from the Human Right’s Commission: Strengthening Accountability and Participation in the Housing System.

“Our housing crisis is alienating another generation from the opportunity to live in a healthy, affordable home. We support the work of the Human Rights Commission in seeking solutions based on the right to a decent home rather than economics or just supply,” says CHA Chief Executive, Vic Crockford.

The report is the first step in the Commission’s Housing Inquiry into Aotearoa New Zealand’s housing system. It is calling for an Act that legislates the right to a decent home and builds on the new Government Policy Statement on Housing and Urban Development (GPS-HUD) and MAIHI Ka Ora: The National Māori Housing Strategy 2021-2051. It also calls for the establishment of an independent accountability mechanism and an independent advisory group to raise up the voices of lived experience.

“We agree with the Commission’s findings that accountability is critical to ensuring good policy is effectively deployed, and where it is not there is a meaningful opportunity to inform and create change. We endorse their call for legislation enshrining the right to a decent home and the focus on the voices of lived experience being more central to government action,” says Vic.

“We now have the opportunity to chart a different kind of course in housing. That course embeds the right to a decent home, uses and amplifies the expertise of the Human Rights Commission and others in doing so, and takes us beyond supply as an all-powerful solution. That journey is about ensuring housing affordability, health and opportunities for all. Continually improving on the key measures of a human right to a decent home will be important to achieving that.”

CHA is the umbrella group for New Zealand’s community housing sector. Our 75 provider members house 30,000 people across 18,520 homes around the country including assisted home ownership, affordable renting or wrap around support, we’re working toward all New Zealanders having a healthy home for a good life.

We Believe… 

Everyone needs a place to call home: Watch a video by the Auckland Community Housing Providers Network, supported by Community Housing Aotearoa. Hear first-hand how good, affordable homes give people hope, connection and stability: 

• Alex (Salvation Army) 
• Joan (Haumaru Housing) 
• Mau and David (Housing Foundation) 
• Christine (Haumaru Housing) 
• Rozeena (Monte Cecilia)

© Scoop Media

Community Housing Aotearoa

Nga Wharerau o Aotearoa

Community Housing Aotearoa is the peak body for New Zealand's community housing sector. Our 110 members build and manage affordable and social housing.

Our Vision is to make sure every New Zealander is well-housed in a warm, safe, dry and affordable home. This is a basic human right.

We work to support the growth and development of community housing providers to enable them to provide affordable and social housing.

We want to demonstrate that community housing is a critical element alongside private and government owned housing. No one can do it alone.

Community Housing Aotearoa aims to:

1. be the voice of the community housing sector
2. build capacity and foster collaboration
3. promote best practice in housing policy
4. champion quality and excellence.

Contact Community Housing Aotearoa

• Website - communityhousing.org.nz/
• Our Place - Learn how we think this can be achieved
• Phone - +64 4 385 8722
• About us - Our 2021 annual report is online here
• Email - support@communityhousing.org.nz
• Link - Members directory
• Physical Address - Level 11, Ranchhod Tower, 39 The Terrace/102-112 Lambton Quay, Wellington