Govt unveils 3-year social housing plan for Bay

State housing of the past. Now the Government plans over 300 "p;aces" to make up a shortfall in Hawke's Bay. Photo / File

The Government has moved to replenish some of the fallen state housing stock in Hawke's Bay with an announcement that more than 300 "places" will be provided, housing more than 700 families a year.

Finer details as to where and when were not available late yesterday, but Minister of Social Housing Amy Adams said there would be "195 social housing places and 129 short-term transitional housing places".

More than 300 state housing units had been stripped from Hawke's Bay over the last five years in a range of removals and demolitions, contributing to homelessness and the housing problems in the region.

As Associate Minister Alfred Ngaro visited a newly-opened transitional housing place run by Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga in Hastings.

Ms Adams said: "We're on track to have the short-term transitional housing places available by the end of the year, and expect to see the new social housing places coming on board over the next three years."

"Our plans for the region are a recognition that access to safe, warm and dry housing is a growing area of concern, and we're working hard to address those demands.

Mr Ngaro said it "isn't just about housing," and a $354 million commitment the Government made last year to transitional housing recognises that many struggling families face further challenges.

"That's why we've partnered with some fantastic community housing providers to make sure they're getting further help to get back on their feet - from budgeting advice to cooking lessons or parenting support," he said.

"We've now secured 30 of our planned transitional housing places, meaning that we're already in a position to help 120 local families this year," he said, adding more places were scheduled to open in the "coming weeks and months".

Napier city councillor Maxine Boag, who was at the forefront of concerns as at least 200 people were displaced by the loss of state housing units in Napier, welcomed yesterday's announcement, but said: "It's quite unclear what this will mean for the 130-plus desperate families in Napier who are in the highest-need category on the social housing waiting list at the moment."

"We have a housing crisis in Hawke's Bay at present, caused by the Government tearing down state houses a few years ago and never replacing them," she said.

Ms Boag said providing transitional housing to families for three months is better than the current situation where families were living in motels with no security from week to week and having to move out for tourists at busy weekends, but she asked where people would go when moved out after three months.

"This Government has backed away from taking responsibility for providing social housing or state housing themselves, and this looks to me like too little too late," she said.