Despite saying Northland has the highest housing need in the country, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says a reset of Kāinga Ora is necessary. Photos / NZME
Not enough social houses are being built to meet Northland’s needs, housing advocates say.
They are asking the coalition Government to reinstate 40 scrapped Kāinga Ora projects in Northland.
But Housing Minister Chris Bishop said changes had to be made after the previous Government left Kāinga Ora a “financial basket case” and social housing must be better delivered.
Whangārei housing advocate Carol Peters from Tai Tokerau Housing said there was a need for housing of all levels in Northland.
This included a night shelter in Whangārei for rough sleepers, emergency housing, supported living for those needing extra help and a pipeline of permanent long-term social housing.
The Ministry of Social Development’s latest housing register showed 981 whānau on the waiting list for social housing in Northland, including 543 in Whangārei.
Bishop said during a recent visit that Northland had the highest housing need in the country, including the worst rental stress and the highest number of families living in motels.
Despite this, 450 new state homes across 40 projects were cut in the North, Peters said.
“Somehow, there’s a lack of congruence between these two things.”
A group called State Housing Action Whangārei started a petition, calling on the Government to reinstate the 450 new Kāinga Ora homes and stop selling state homes on the open market.
The online petition had just over 400 signatures but will join a nationwide movement for more social housing, Peters said.
Bishop was pushing for Community Housing Providers to build and manage the new social homes but this approach was not meeting the numbers needed, she said.
But Bishop said the coalition Government backs social housing and is determined to deliver the housing better.
“That means building the right homes, in the right places, with the right support, for the people most in need.”
Under this Government, 433 social homes have been built in Northland, with funding for a further 265 homes, he said.
At least 70 of these homes will be delivered by Community Housing Providers, including Otangarei Papakāinga, Ngāti Rēhia and Habitat for Humanity, Bishop said.
More than 80% of these places are one- or two-bedrooms, helping address the greatest gap in social housing supply in Northland, he said.
Bishop made no apologies for cutting Kāinga Ora projects that were poor value for money or not commercially viable, saying many of them were unfunded.
“The previous Government left Kāinga Ora as a financial basket case with spiralling debt and operating deficits,” he said.
“Together, with sales of some homes and vacant land, this is designed to free up funds to build homes in places where they are most needed.”
Bishop said over the next two years, Kāinga Ora is delivering more than 2000 additional social homes nationwide, as well as a big refit programme to bring older social homes up to scratch.
The Government also funded 2000 homes through Community Housing Providers, 400 affordable rentals, and established a flexible housing fund to enable 650 to 900 more social homes and affordable rentals, he said.
While 40 Kāinga Ora projects have been cut in Northland, the state housing agency is still building some projects in Whangārei.
In early October, six new units in Te Kamo were finished and tenanted, said Kāinga Ora Northland regional director Jeff Murray.
Also in Te Kamo, work started on an 18-home development on a 3300sq m site at 435 to 437 Kamo Rd.
Murray said seven homes were due to be finished June next year, consisting of three two-bedroom accessible units, three two-bedroom apartments and one three-bedroom terraced home.
In stage two, 11 homes were expected to be completed by December 2026: nine two-bedroom terraced homes and two three-bedroom terraced homes.
“Within walking distance to a number of schools, services, public transport and the Te Kamo township, this location is ideal for individuals and whānau,” he said.
In Tikipunga, five older state houses on Thomas St will be replaced with 13 new ones across two different developments, both in the consenting stage and expected to be built by May 2026.
Several other developments planned for Thomas St were stopped as part of the national reset.
Kāinga Ora is working through the best options for these sites, including potentially selling them, and aims to keep local communities informed, Murray said.
Meanwhile, projects in Kensington’s King St and Whau Valley’s Weaver St are expected to be delivered in the next 12 to 18 months but still need approval and consents, he said.
This story has been updated. Carol Peters was incorrectly referred to as being from Whare Āwhina.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.