The Social Housing Gap

Kainga Ora have told us that they are selling off 12 tenanted homes in Waitemata. 9 in Freeman’s Bay, two in Westmere and one in Grey Lynn. It is uncertain whether new homes will be found for tenants on the isthmus though we are are advocating for that if this is what the tenants want.

In addition, housing projects planned and in some cases consented have been cancelled. These include Great North Road family and senior housing (59 homes), Meola Road family housing (7 homes), Surrey Crescent family housing (36 homes), and Vincent Street (53 homes). This means that 155 new homes will not be built. For some sites there is already some housing (52 in total) but overall, there is a gap of over 100 affordable social housing units in the Waitemata area between what we will have and what had been anticipated. The local board (across party lines) is advocating for more affordable housing in Waitemata, and this is a regressive step.

There was an excellent episode of The Detail a couple of days ago that went into the issues. The head of the Community Housing Association made the point that making it easier for the market to deliver new housing is not unhelpful but the market generally does not deliver for the poorest quartile of New Zealanders. It needs to be funded by government and there is a massive deficit that has been growing over 40 years.

There may be a role for council in this space. Haumaru Housing is an Auckland Council CCO that runs senior housing across Auckland outside the isthmus. Kainga Ora have already passed on one of their new builds to them to manage. Research has shown, they say, that as long as there are shared community spaces, vertical living can work well for seniors, particularly where there are balconies. They want to grow but they need more funding.

The CRL was funded by green bonds. I wonder whether there is any equivalent of cheap money for social outcomes? If council can step up their provision of senior flats, for example, on a not-for-profit but not loss-making basis, that could be a win. We have an ageing population and increasing numbers do not have mortgage-free homes on retirement. Some planning ahead is required. Meanwhile, the number of homeless on Auckland's streets, hidden in cars, or garages, some senior, some growing old before their time, is only growing.