Housing

people and communities

Homelessness at historic levels in New Zealand

The Green Party says the Government’s new funding for homelessness, announced yesterday, is a drop in the bucket to address the crisis in New Zealand.  "This is the worst homelessness in our history, with 57,000 women homeless and half of all homeless people under the age of 24. The Government's response has been a drop in the bucket to meaningfully address this crisis," says Green Party housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  "The Housing First waitlist is rising while 33% of emergency housing...

Posted at June 18, 2026 2:18 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Bill drawn to ensure young people aren't made homeless when leaving Oranga Tamariki

The Green Party bill requiring the government to make sure young people leaving state care have a safe, stable home to move into has been drawn as a member's bill today, the same day the Government begins the process of criminalising homelessness."On the day this Government chooses to punish people for being homeless, we are choosing to make sure no young person leaving state care ends up on the street in the first place," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. ...

Posted at May 21, 2026 2:08 PM by Marama Davidson

services and systems

National’s public housing reform ‘cuts costs’ at the expense of our most vulnerable

The Green Party is warning that the Government’s changes to public housing will see more public housing tenants evicted and driven deeper into poverty. “Luxon’s Government has built on their despicable pattern of finding ‘savings’ in their budget from the empty pockets of the poorest people in New Zealand,” says Green Party Housing spokesperson, Tamatha Paul.  “They are balancing their budget on the backs of pensioners, beneficiaries and disabled people who rely on public housing.”  “Increasing rents by 20% on top of unaffordable food costs, power bills and medical bills is simply cruel.”  “Ironically, they say they want to limit time spent in public housing, yet these changes mean that these tenants will never be able to...

Posted at May 21, 2026 1:07 PM by Ricardo Menéndez March and Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Luxon confirms criminalisation of those he’s made homeless

Luxon’s decision to provide Police with the power to issue move-on orders to homeless people as young as 14 will have disastrous consequences for our country and our most vulnerable, says the Green Party. “Christopher Luxon has chosen to make more people homeless, and now he’s criminalising them for being homeless,” says Green Party Co-leader and Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick. “It costs $200,000 a year to chuck someone in prison, for worse and worse outcomes. The Government refuses to spend...

Posted at May 14, 2026 3:17 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick

services and systems

Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisis

The Green Party has announced today their new campaign A Home for Everybody, calling to end homelessness, fix renter’s rights, and end the housing crisis once and for all. “In a country like Aotearoa, with our wealth of resources and skills, there is no excuse for people to go without a decent home, let alone any home at all,” says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson.  “In 2022, 46% of renting households spent more than 30% of their income on rent, compared to 19% of renters in 1988. Since 2003, house prices have increased by 230%, while the median household income...

Posted at March 26, 2026 9:17 AM by Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson

services and systems

Increasing homelessness requires increased political commitment to end homelessness

The Green Party is calling on the Government to commit to solutions to end homelessness, following the National Homelessness Data Project’s latest report which shows that, in every area, rates of homelessness are either unchanged or getting worse.“Make no mistake, increases in homelessness are a direct result of this Government’s cruel decision to make emergency housing tougher to access and to cut public housing builds,” says Green Party housing spokesperson, Tamatha Paul. “Auckland homelessness has more than doubled between 2024...

Posted at December 15, 2025 3:35 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Govt homelessness announcement a drop in the ocean

The Government’s 300 new social housing places will fail to even begin to address the homelessness crisis in Aotearoa, says the Green Party. “This barely touches the sides of the homelessness crisis deepened under this Government,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Housing, Tamatha Paul.  “Housing is a human right, but this Government is treating it like a business where profit comes first and people come second.  “While every new Housing First place is valuable, the lease of 300 new places...

Posted at September 05, 2025 12:19 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Government rolls out red carpet for mega-rich on housing

The Green Party is calling out the Government for making it easier for wealthy overseas investors to buy a house here while many renters and home-buyers cannot afford to.“Rather than making home ownership easier, the Government is rolling out the red carpet for rich investors,” says the Green Party spokesperson for Housing Tamatha Paul. “Housing is a human right, but this Government treats it as a business where profit comes first. The Government’s entire economic plan is based on rich...

Posted at September 01, 2025 3:46 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Greens demand Govt stops growing homelessness

The Green Party is calling on the Government to reverse its changes to emergency housing access as homelessness grows alongside public pressure.“Christopher Luxon has intentionally increased homelessness. With the crisis filling our streets, he must choose to stop growing the problem,” says Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.  “Today, we have launched a petition calling on the Government to stop homelessness spiralling out of control, amplifying the demand in our communities for immediate, urgent, political action. “Rough sleeping is up 89%...

Posted at August 04, 2025 10:59 AM by Chlöe Swarbrick

services and systems

Govt confirms homelessness is rising, fails to take responsibility

The Government’s Homelessness Insights report has confirmed that homelessness is on the rise. “The Government has confirmed what we have all seen on our streets, which is that homelessness is on the rise under its watch,” says Green Party spokesperson for Housing Tamatha Paul.  “Housing is a human right and something we can afford to provide to everyone, no matter how tough times get. “The changes to emergency housing eligibility have created misery in our communities. This is how the Government...

Posted at July 23, 2025 3:19 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Greens call on Housing Minister to be honest about homelessness

The Green Party is calling on the Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka to come clean about the impact his decisions are having on homelessness following an interview with Q&A this morning where he dodged questions and avoided accountability. “Tama Potaka needs to tell the truth and admit that his cuts to accessing emergency housing are behind the rise in homelessness that we are seeing across the country,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Housing, Tamatha Paul. “Housing is a human...

Posted at July 20, 2025 10:26 AM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Healthy Homes standards need more teeth

With mandatory Healthy Homes standards coming into effect for all tenancies tomorrow, the Green Party is calling for a new Rental Warrant of Fitness system to give the new standards true effect.“Healthy Homes standards are only meaningful if they are enforced by a system that is independent and has teeth,” says the Green Party spokesperson for Housing, Tamatha Paul. “We should turn the Healthy Homes standards into a Rental Warrant of Fitness that is certified by independent certifiers, not self-certified...

Posted at June 30, 2025 4:27 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Govt’s budget balanced on the backs of low-income families

The Government is quietly leaving some of our poorest families hundreds of dollars worse off, ignoring warnings that changes to the accommodation supplement and public housing subsidies will disproportionately target disabled, older, Māori, Pasifika, and young people.“This is a stealth cut, pushed through with no acknowledgement of the harm it will cause,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Housing, Ricardo Menéndez March. “Housing is a human right. We can build an Aotearoa in which everyone has what they need, and...

Posted at May 30, 2025 8:46 AM by Ricardo Menéndez March

services and systems

Housing crisis will rage on with Budget 2025

Budget 2025 makes clear that the Coalition Government has no long-term plan to help communities most in need of public housing.“This Budget treats housing like a game of monopoly, where a select few get homes while others are left out in the cold,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Housing, Tamatha Paul.  "By cutting more money from social and transitional housing, the Māori Housing Programme and emergency housing, this Government for landlords has abandoned all hope of solving the housing...

Posted at May 22, 2025 4:36 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Government plan fails on growing public housing stock

The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis.“The Government has given up on the housing crisis, using the review into Kāinga Ora to push their privatisation agenda,” says the Green Party spokesperson for Housing Tamatha Paul. “Public housing is as essential as public healthcare and public education. Housing is a human right that this Government is denying our...

Posted at February 04, 2025 11:37 AM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Open season on renters begins with no-cause evictions

The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress.“Open season on renters has begun, as this Government for landlords creates more insecurity and pain for renters,” says the Green Party's Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  “No-cause evictions mean that renters can be removed from their homes without reason, undermining housing stability and perpetuating insecurity. It’s another cruel step...

Posted at January 30, 2025 10:45 AM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas

Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season.“The Government is giving renters a Christmas gift that no-one asked for: no-cause evictions,” says the Green Party's Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  “Housing is a human right, but this Government is treating it like a business. Housing forms the foundation for our communities to thrive, it is something we...

Posted at December 13, 2024 8:52 AM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

CPI figures show rents continuing to soar

Stats NZ has confirmed that higher rent prices were the biggest contributor to the annual inflation rate. Almost a fifth of the 2.2 per cent annual increase in the CPI was due to rent prices. “Housing is a human right, but this Government is treating it like a game of Monopoly,” says the Green Party’s Housing spokesperson, Tamatha Paul.  “Everyone deserves a warm and affordable place to call home. We have everything we need to make this happen. All we need...

Posted at October 16, 2024 12:19 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Landlord govt finds new way to undermine public housing

Proposed cuts to Kāinga Ora reflect a failure to fully commit to fixing the housing crisis.“The Government is undermining public housing and intentionally aggravating the housing crisis to benefit a privileged few at the expense of everyone else,” says the Green Party’s Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  “Housing is a human right. Public housing has always been an important safety net for some of the most marginalised people in our communities. Public housing can help to insulate against the uncertainty and...

Posted at September 25, 2024 4:55 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Rising rents continue to inflict hardship on households

Statistics released today show that rents have increased at 4.3 per cent compared to the same period last year. This comes after last month’s 4.8 per cent hike compared to July last year. “Rents are continuing to rise at an alarmingly unaffordable rate despite the Government's claims their policies would result in downward pressure,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for Housing Tamatha Paul. “Housing is a human right and something that should be afforded to all, and affordable to all, regardless...

Posted at August 15, 2024 3:31 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Green Party sends open letter to PM on renters’ rights

The Greens have launched an open letter calling on the Prime Minister to respond to the rental crisis. “Housing is a human right and should not be treated as a commodity to be gambled on,” says Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.  “Over the past month, we have been running a campaign to put real people’s stories to the statistics that tell us the one and a half million renters in this country spend disproportionately more of their income to live in...

Posted at July 28, 2024 2:00 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick

services and systems

Renters suffer as soaring rents feed rising inflation

The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent.“The everyday struggle for renters is worse than ever, and we are paying through the roof to live in houses that make us sick,” says the Green Party’s Housing Spokesperson Tamatha Paul. “Successive governments have allowed the rental market to tilt further and...

Posted at July 17, 2024 11:46 AM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Government must build more public houses, not find excuses to sell them

The Green Party says the Government must use the review of Kāinga Ora as a platform to build more homes, not an excuse to sell them off. "History is repeating itself: a National-led Government is once again trying to create social licence for the sale of our public housing stock, at a time when new housing is absolutely essential,” says Green Party Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  “Public housing is as essential as public healthcare and education. Aotearoa is in the midst...

Posted at May 20, 2024 4:58 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

No-cause evictions leave no hope for renters

The Government’s introduction of legislation that would enable landlords to end tenancies with no reason marks a dark day for the 1.4 million people who rent their home in Aotearoa. “This Government is well and truly in the pocket of landlords. This comes at the expense of people who rent their homes, who are paying a severe price,” says Green Party Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  “The Coalition parties have chosen to tip the balance completely in favour of those who own...

Posted at May 16, 2024 6:21 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

A win for Wellington - Greens welcome more housing

The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations.“This is a big win for Wellingtonians who want to see more affordable housing close to where they work, study, and socialise,” says the Green Party’s Wellington Issues and Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul. “We’re encouraged by the minister’s decision to take up the Council’s decisions and help make the capital a more liveable city...

Posted at May 08, 2024 2:03 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Landlord Government once again pushes renters into the cold

The Coalition is trying to axe yet another opportunity to improve rentals by dropping the Residential Property Managers Bill.“This Government of landlords, by landlords, is trying to quietly shred nearly two decades of work towards basic regulations for property managers. They evidently don’t have the spine to stand up and tell nearly one and a half million renters that they don’t care about their living standards - but actions speak louder than words,” says Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.  “In...

Posted at May 01, 2024 11:02 AM by Chlöe Swarbrick

services and systems

Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle down

The Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high.“Landlords are the only people who are being well-served by our Government. People who rent are already struggling with sky high rents – and can see very clearly the lie that tax cuts for landlords will trickle down to help,” says Green Party Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  Properties on Trade Me’s rental index have risen by an average of $50 in the...

Posted at April 30, 2024 11:37 AM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Landlord Government leaves little hope for renters

The Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. "We have a Government that thinks it is running a company not a country, and treats housing as a business. Housing is a human right, and every person deserves a warm, safe and affordable home, whether they own that home or not,” says Green Party Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  “Today’s announcement has made it crystal clear that this Government is not pro-tenant but pro-self interest.  “Home ownership...

Posted at April 11, 2024 2:29 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Greens call for strong public build programme following release of report

The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. “The Government must end the shameful housing crisis  by committing to an ambitious public housing programme,” says Green Party Housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  “The Green Party stands with Public Housing Futures and the Child Poverty Action Group in calling for sustained investment into building public...

Posted at March 26, 2024 7:16 AM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Coalition of cruelty punishing people for being poor

Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. “In true National Party fashion, the Government is seeking to define a category of undeserving poor people. Ignorant to the consequences of poverty, people living in state housing are now in the Government’s firing line,” says Green Party housing spokesperson Tamatha Paul.  “Today’s announcement that the Government will evict more state housing tenants,...

Posted at March 18, 2024 4:57 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Govt gets its priorities all wrong with Kāinga Ora review

The independent reviews of Kāinga Ora announced today should be focused primarily on building enough houses to make sure everyone has a warm, dry, and affordable place to live. “For this government to be more concerned about debt than giving everyone a place to live should tell you everything you need to know about where their values lie,” says the Green Party’s housing spokesperson, Tamatha Paul.  “I can tell you now that the financial situation at Kāinga Ora is not the...

Posted at December 18, 2023 5:21 PM by Tamatha Paul

services and systems

Public transport and housing must be prioritised from remnants of Let's Get Wellington Moving

The new government's decision to walk away from Let's Get Wellington Moving shows they are still tied to the failed approach of building more roads. Wellington’s Green MPs Tamatha Paul and Julie Anne Genter said the people of Wellington deserve a clear long-term plan to build more affordable homes, cut climate pollution and improve active and public transport across the city. “National scrapping Let’s Get Wellington Moving doesn’t change the fact that we need an achievable plan to address the real...

Posted at December 17, 2023 12:39 PM by Tamatha Paul and Julie Anne Genter

services and systems

Only the Green Party will make life better for renters

Green Party co leader Marama Davidson spoke at a Fair Rents rally at the University of Auckland today.“In the first 100 days of a new government, we will introduce legislation to make sure everyone who rents always has a safe, healthy and affordable place to call home,” says Green Party Marama Davidson.  “For far too long, inaction by successive governments has forced thousands of people to pay through the roof to live in cold, damp, and unhealthy homes that are...

Posted at October 06, 2023 2:22 PM by Marama Davidson

services and systems

Only the Green Party will build houses at the scale Aotearoa needs

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is visiting The Commons Project at Housing First Ōtautahi, which helps vulnerable whānau connect and engage with services.“Everyone deserves to have a safe, warm, dry place to call home. The Green Party will ensure this by clearing the public housing waitlist in 5 years and building 35,000 new warm, affordable, public houses over the next five years,” says Green Party co-leader, Marama Davidson. “Under this Government, with the Greens’ support, Kāinga Ora is building more...

Posted at October 04, 2023 11:06 AM by Marama Davidson

services and systems

People need a government that will build many more homes

Labour’s plan to build more homes is a welcome step forward, but it lacks ambition.“The Green Party will make sure everyone has a safe, warm, dry place to call home by building 35,000 new warm, affordable, public houses over the next five years,” says Green Party co-leader, Marama Davidson.  “The time is now to scale up building new homes - not let it plateau at a level that falls short of the current build programme. If people want a government...

Posted at September 24, 2023 3:51 PM by Marama Davidson

services and systems

Greens welcome launch of Te Ohu Tāmaki and challenges other parties on housing

The Green Party is welcoming the launch of Te Ohu Tāmaki, and affirms its commitment to clear the social housing waitlist in 5 years - and challenges other parties to say they will do the same. “The commitment of Te Ohu Whakawhanaunga is to build a broad alliance that will think differently about how we grow community voice and power is something the Green Party is 100% on board with,” says Marama Davidson. “We especially acknowledge the commitment to improving...

Posted at September 06, 2023 6:19 PM by Marama Davidson

services and systems

Green Party launches Rental WOF Bill

The Green Party has today placed a Rental Warrant of Fitness Bill in the Member’s Ballot.“1.4 million renters in Aotearoa spend more of their income on older, colder and mouldier housing than those who own. That is a political choice. The Greens choose to prioritise and guarantee warm, dry homes for all and today we’re putting our solution in the ballot,” said Green Party renters’ rights spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick. “The Government currently has no real world data on how many...

Posted at July 26, 2023 2:03 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick

services and systems

Marama Davidson Speech - A Home for Everyone

A decent home is the foundation to a decent life. To be warm and dry in your home is a human right.In a country like Aotearoa, where we have the resources, there are no excuses to deny anyone that right. Three weeks ago, when we announced the Green Party’s Income Guarantee, we said that poverty is a political choice. And we choose to end it. The housing crisis is also a political choice. For decades, politicians have chosen to enable...

Posted at July 02, 2023 11:00 AM by Marama Davidson

services and systems

Greens release rental stories collection

The Green Party has today released a collection of stories showing how dire the rental situation is in Aotearoa.“We put the call out for renters’ voices nearly a month ago and have been overwhelmed with the response. Far, far too many of the 1.4 million renting New Zealanders have horror stories - and without policy intervention, they’re living in a state sanctioned nightmare,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for renters, Chlöe Swarbrick. “We heard stories of families forced to pay...

Posted at June 27, 2023 5:35 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick

services and systems

Greens launch rental stories campaign

The Green Party are today launching a campaign asking for people to submit their stories of subpar, substandard and downright awful experiences of renting in Aotearoa.“An affordable, warm, healthy and secure home is literally a human right. Yet it’s one denied to far too many of the 1.4 million renters in this country,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for renters, Chlöe Swarbrick.  “This is a political choice. Aotearoa New Zealand is not the first country in the world to deal...

Posted at June 06, 2023 7:00 AM by Chlöe Swarbrick

services and systems

Enough posturing, let’s get on and build enough public housing

The Green Party is urging the Government to take its own advice and come up with a long-term plan to build thousands more public homes.“Our message is clear: now is the time to commit to a long-term plan to build the homes we need,” says Green Party spokesperson for public housing Ricardo Menéndez March. Speaking at a conference today, the Minister of Housing Megan Woods justified the decision in the Budget to fund only one more year of public housing...

Posted at May 24, 2023 1:28 PM by Ricardo Menéndez March

services and systems

Long-term commitment needed on public housing

Budget 2023’s investment in public housing falls short of what’s needed.“Our communities living in motels and in overcrowded homes need long-term funding from the Government to guarantee they all have a healthy, safe, and affordable home, no matter if they rent or own,” says Green Party spokesperson for public housing Ricardo Menéndez March. “There are few things more important to people and whānau than the homes and communities they live in. When people are able to live in stable and...

Posted at May 18, 2023 2:20 PM by Ricardo Menéndez March

services and systems

Greens join call for immediate rent freeze after floods

The Green Party is joining more than 20 community organisations to call for an immediate rent freeze in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, after reports of landlords intending to hike rents after flooding.“We froze rents when COVID-19 arrived, because the Government heard clearly people’s struggle and uncertainty to survive. Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s floods are no different,” says Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick  “It is mind-blowing to hear some landlords and speculators are consciously planning to raise rents in light of a climate...

Posted at February 03, 2023 7:34 AM by Chlöe Swarbrick