Housing Minister Chris Bishop has written to the board of Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities, saying he hopes public housing will not be left empty for longer than necessary.
In his letter, Mr Bishop said the number of vacant social housing units was completely unacceptable.
“With over 25,000 people on the waiting list for public housing, I want to make clear my expectation that public housing owned by Kāinga Ora should not remain vacant for any longer than necessary. Kāinga Ora looks forward to working with many “there is an even more urgent need to fill vacant properties,” Mr Bishop wrote.
“While I understand that it may take time to fill vacancies for valid reasons, the time period identified in this response is far beyond what I consider appropriate.”
He said he was “shocked” to learn through an Official Information Act response to staff reporter Erin Gorey that 3,906 homes, about 5% of New Zealand’s total housing stock, were vacant.
Of the new public housing units built by government public housing landlords and the Construction Agency between June 2022 and October last year, 786 units, or about 20%, were still vacant at the end of October.
“That’s not okay at all,” he said. “Of these new homes, 287 have been empty for more than four months, despite thousands of families waiting for such social housing.”
“It is unacceptable that newly constructed public housing units remain vacant while people who need public housing are left waiting in motel rooms, cars, and family couches,” his letter said. ing.
“We hope that Kāinga Ora will work with MSD to address the social housing waiting list with the utmost urgency to ensure as many families as possible have a safe, warm and dry home. I am.”
A month ago, the government set up an independent inquiry body headed by former prime minister Bill English to look into the agency’s finances, procurement and management, and is expected to report by April.
Mr Bishop said he looked forward to receiving the report.
RNZ.co.NZ