House prices keep rising across New Zealand and banks are unable or unwilling to fund new affordable homes in Auckland, the Green Party said today. “The big Australian-owned banks are pulling back on lending to the very types of projects that can provide the most affordable homes in our cities,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “The market can’t and won’t solve the housing crisis by itself – that’s why New Zealanders need the Government to step up and build...

Bill English’s state of the nation speech today lacked vision and leaves New Zealanders with a stark choice about the kind of government they want, the Green Party said. “The new Prime Minister didn’t talk about the housing crisis, or stagnant wages, or polluted rivers and lakes. These issues aren’t going to go away – in fact, it’s now clear that the only way to fix them is by changing the Government,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “New Zealanders...

Incoming Prime Minister Bill English should make a commitment to all New Zealanders that he will do what John Key refused to – build more affordable homes, close tax loopholes for property speculators, and end homelessness, the Green Party said today. The median Auckland house now costs $851,944 and the median house price nationwide is now $520,000, a new record high, according to data released today by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ). “Bill English needs to make...

The Government is actively seeking overseas buyers for 2,500 state homes in Christchurch, the Green Party said today. Government officials are hosting an invite-only session for potential investors in Sydney next week. “It’s bad enough that National is selling our state homes out from underneath some of our most vulnerable New Zealanders, but now they want to sell the land to overseas investors too,” Green Party social housing spokesperson Marama Davidson said. “National used to say its state house sales...

News that National’s Auckland Housing Accord is likely to miss its target for the number of homes actually built shows that new ideas under a new Government are needed to fix the housing crisis, the Green Party said today. The Housing Accord’s three-year target of 39,000 new homes and sections is reportedly likely to fall short by around 1,000, with just 7,000 actual new builds in the last year, according to Radio New Zealand. “The Housing Accord was National’s flagship...

The Bill extends default tenancy terms, gives tenants first right of refusal when their tenancy agreement is up for renewal, limits rent increases and enforces transparency around them, and restores 90-day notice periods when landlords want to sell properties. 453,000 homes were rented by New Zealanders at the 2013 census. “People who rent need stability so they can put down roots in their communities,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “Our home ownership rate is at the lowest level since...

Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei has today launched a progressive ownership plan to provide up to 10,000 new homes for lower-income Kiwis to own, and to empower community housing groups with new financing models to help fix the housing crisis.

The Government owes it to New Zealanders to admit we have a housing crisis and to prioritise getting more people into secure homes by making long lasting changes to the housing market, the Green Party said today. Yesterday’s announcement of $300 million funding for emergency housing over the next four years has come on the back of pressure from the sector and the Cross Party Inquiry into Homelessness which reported back last month. “There is no question that this money...

Manurewa marae needed much better support from the Government in order to do its work helping homeless whanau, the Green Party said today. This Wednesday is the last day of Manurewa Marae’s Whakapiki Ora programme, which has helped 72 whānau and found permanent homes for 28. The marae is unable to continue their good work without support and funding from the Ministry of Social Development. “Their work at the marae has been challenging and really hard. What they have achieved...

Children in Auckland are falling ill with rheumatic fever as a direct result of the Government’s failure to address the housing crisis and child poverty, the Green Party said today. Figures released today show the number of children with rheumatic fever in the Auckland and Waitemata district health board areas has stayed at the same level, despite a Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme running for five years now. “This is a stark reminder that the housing crisis isn’t going away, and...