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Housing Policy |
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Policy Overview
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Safe and secure housing is paramount for the stability and well being of all New Zealand families. United Future believes that all children should be nurtured in a safe and healthy home environment.
Our economic and social programmes are built around the premise that all New Zealanders should have access to a reasonable standard of housing. Most of us aspire to own our home and for many this is achieved. For others it has become an unachievable dream.
Not surprisingly, a poor standard of housing is often equated with low educational and health levels. United Future will improve accessibility to affordable housing for all New Zealanders.
Strong incentives will help lower income people to own their homes. This gives people a hand up rather than just a hand out. United Future will recognise their needs and aspirations by expanding state based rent-to buy options. We will also ensure surplus state houses do not lie empty whilst long waiting lists exist in other areas. The concept of community housing will be extended and targeted assistance will help low-income homeowners to improve their properties. Dedicated funding will be provided to beautify and improve state housing areas – an improved home environment encourages positive outcomes.
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United Future Will:
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Recognise housing needs should be met through the appropriate combination of publicly and privately owned stock to ensure all families have a reasonable home, whether owned or rented, public or private.
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Establish a home ownership fund, which will provide concessional loan funds to low income families and individuals to buy homes without a deposit or at a lower weekly repayment rate for those with a deposit, but who cannot currently meet the standard weekly repayments.
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Re-establish the rent-to-buy programme for state house tenants.
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Examine the eligibility criteria for state housing to ensure needs are being met
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Ensure that Housing NZ rentals are monitored on a five year basis to ensure that those eligible still meet the criteria to ensure misallocation does not occur.
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Urgently reassess the current housing stock of Housing NZ to remove the long waiting lists.
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Establish a permanent pool of low cost housing to support those in urgent need on waiting lists. Empty houses will also be used as a temporary emergency housing rather than remaining vacant.
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Dedicate funding for beautification and greening of state house areas, with local autonomy for specific beautification projects, to avoid state housing areas becoming undesirable and encourage pride within housing communities. This will be achieved in partnership with local councils and communities so people have ownership in improving their community.
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Appoint a Housing Ombudsman to both advise government on housing needs in specific communities and to provide an avenue of communication for state housing tenants.
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Ensure the specific housing needs of cultural groups and new immigrants are recognised and firmly incorporated into migration settlement policies, as well as urgent action to address Maori housing needs in poor rural areas.
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Extend the existing scheme in which Work and Income NZ deducts Housing NZ rentals directly from benefits, to include private sector rentals
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Examine the possible devolution of ownership and management of Housing NZ stock to district and city councils, with the consequent abolition of the centralised department, and a better focus on ensuring all housing needs are met in each local community.
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Review all new state housing rentals after five years to encourage home ownership and to ensure the most needy always have priority for state housing.
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Support and encourage programs like Habitat for Humanity that promote community and self help effort to build new houses for needy families.
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