Community Housing Peak Body applauds Auckland Accord
The community housing sector faces a new era of opportunity and is ready to pick up the challenge presented by the
Auckland Accord. Community Housing Trusts leverage resources not available to the private sector alone, and provide the
ability to retain affordability for future generations. Community Housing Aotearoa welcomes the collaboration between
central and local government and the ensuing benefits to the Council, to Government, to the private sector, and most
importantly, to all Aucklanders.
Community Housing Aotearoa welcomes the strategic approach being adopted to tackle affordable housing issues through the
accord agreed upon by Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Auckland Mayor Len Brown and announced on Friday by Prime
Minister John Key and the Auckland Mayor. “The Accord will provide a solid basis for helping to resolve the burgeoning
housing supply crisis that the city faces and concurrently address some of the affordability issues that challenge a
growing proportion of Auckland residents. By avoiding the early adoption of the more controversial aspects of the
Unitary Plan, the Accord cleverly enables progress to be made at pace using those provisions of the proposed plan around
which there is much more universal support. The Accord represents a collaborative approach between local and central
Governments and avoids the spectre of Central Government intervention being necessary to make progress,” says Co-Chair
Lisa Woolley.
CHA is especially encouraged to see that there is agreement on strong targets for the number of houses to be built, a
mechanism for speeding up the consenting processes and efforts to address affordability issues by building in
requirements for developers to incorporate some lower cost houses within their proposed developments. CHA believes that
there are a number of community housing providers who are well placed and keen to work with developers to help them meet
these affordability requirements, whilst still building well-presented houses that will blend in with the overall
development.
“The community housing sector faces a new era of opportunity and is ready to pick up that challenge,” says Co-Chair
Warren Jack. Community Housing Trusts are able to leverage resources not available to the private sector alone, and
provide the ability to retain affordability for future generations. These are benefits to the Council, to Government, to
the private sector, and most importantly, to all Aucklanders.
CHA has some concerns that the concept of affordability may get lost in translation unless there is further confirmation
that an affordability dividend component is retained and is capable of being recycled for the benefit of future
generations as well, and not simply a one-time discount of house price that becomes a lotto-win for a lucky buyer.
CHA also has questions about the availability of sufficient skilled construction workers to meet the construction
targets but believes this provides an excellent opportunity to encourage youth to enter building trade apprenticeships
and help provide the skill base that will be needed to achieved the Auckland Plan’s targeted 400,000 new houses over the
coming 30 years. The resultant reduction in youth unemployment would bring welcome relief to another of Auckland’s
chronic social issues.
The Productivity Commission’s study into Housing Affordability highlighted the high cost of building materials relative
to those in Australia in particular, but also to other developed countries and so the forthcoming enquiry into the
building materials supply chain in NZ is also a welcome development.
Over the forthcoming months, CHA looks forward to taking action with the Council, Government and Developers with regard
to the future workings of the Special Housing Areas and the achievement of improved housing affordability within the
Auckland Housing Accord.
Community Housing Aotearoa is the Peak Body for New Zealand Community Housing Providers and has a membership of 62
organisations who are dedicated to providing quality, affordable and sustainable rental and ownership housing to their
client groups.
ENDS