Source: New Zealand Government
More than 210 new social homes will be delivered in Waikato by Community Housing Providers (CHPs), Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka say.
“Our Government backs social housing, and we’re determined to deliver it better. That means building the right homes, in the right places, with the right support, for the people most in need,” Mr Bishop says.
“Across New Zealand, CHPs and Kāinga Ora have delivered over 6,800 net new social homes since November 2023, with 879 of those being in Waikato.
“On top of that, the Government has committed funding for more than 2,000 additional homes to be delivered by CHPs across New Zealand over the next two years. Waikato is one of the regions benefiting from this pipeline.”
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has allocated social homes based on regional need, which has been assessed using a range of factors including the housing register and emergency housing use.
In the Waikato region:
- At least 210 new social homes will be delivered by providers including Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa, The Salvation Army and Emerge Aotearoa.
- Homes located in places such as Hamilton City, Te Awamutu, and Waharoa.
- Over 90 per cent of places are one or two-bedrooms which will help address the greatest gap in social housing supply in Waikato.
“Half of those waiting for a home nationally need a one-bedroom property, yet only 12 percent of Kāinga Ora stock meets that need. In Waikato, 80 per cent of the housing register demand is for one- and two-bedroom places, so these new homes will make a real difference,” Mr Bishop says.
“Every set of keys handed over is another person or family in a warm, dry social home. We’re focused not just on delivering more homes, but on delivering the right homes that match the needs of people and communities.
“This commitment will bring a great boost in affordable social housing numbers across the Waikato for those who need them most,” Mr Potaka says.
“Locals have different needs, and we’re committed to ensuring tailored housing options rather than one-size-fits-all approach. This includes affordable homes for individuals and couples to larger ones for whānau, supporting those priced out of the private rental market.”
“The Government’s wider reset of the social housing system is already showing results. Recently the Community Housing Funding Agency achieved an A+ credit rating from S&P Global, and recently we announced the introduction of a new loan guarantee scheme, reducing borrowing costs for CHPs and enabling them to deliver more homes,” Mr Bishop says.
“We’re simplifying the funding system so providers can get on with building homes, instead of navigating a confusing web of overlapping funds. These Waikato projects are a good example of the progress being made.
14 of the homes have already been delivered by Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa in Huntington. Over 190 further homes have been approved to be delivered by providers including Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army and Emerge Aotearoa in conjunction with construction partners of their choice between now and 2027.