“This new investment underlines the Government’s commitment to housing New Zealanders in need in a fiscally sustainable way.”
“The social housing waitlist is over 25,000 applicants and too many Kiwi families are living in emergency housing motels or sleeping on relatives’ couches while they wait to move into warm, dry, stable housing,” Potaka said.
“The government has made the tough but fair decision to reprioritise money currently spent on first home grants and redirect it to community housing providers to help address the lack of social houses.”
Bishop and Potaka made the announcement while visiting Dwell Housing Trust’s social housing development in Kilbirnie, which is a good example of a community housing provider and a development that will be eligible for funding with the new places.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development will communicate revised criteria for the 500 places to Community Housing Providers by 30 June 2024.