EMBARGOED to 12 April 2017 – 5.00am
Provide homes now – reap the benefits later
New research shows the benefits of good housing and indicates the long term benefits of helping people move between
private and social housing into home ownership says peak body, Community Housing Aotearoa.
The three pieces of research commissioned by the New Zealand Housing Foundation are:
· The Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit looked at over 120 international studies to see if there was a link
between better housing tenure and positive social and economic outcomes
· Research from BERL models the fiscal impact of transitioning New Zealand renters into home ownership; and
· Nexus Research surveyed nearly 300 households in a new Auckland community-built using the principles of community
development and place making, and tracks residents experience of life before and after moving there.
“This research backs up what we’re seeing day to day – good housing is an up-front social investment that reduces
long-term welfare liability down the track,” Scott Figenshow, CEO of Community Housing Aotearoa says.
“It’s the evidence that shows us we need to make as much effort as possible to reverse the trend of fewer people owning
their own homes. We will be better off as a country in the long term if we support and assist home ownership and more
tenure security in housing for families and individuals,” Scott Figenshow says.
“The work of community housing providers like New Zealand Housing Foundation, assisting low-income families into home
ownership, has many positive outcomes. More families over the country need access to these housing options that they
aren’t able to access any other way.
“Great progress is underway in the emergency and social housing end of the housing continuum. But what we haven’t seen
enough of is mid-continuum support for assisted rental and assisted ownership.”
Scott Figenshow commented that there are 43 Community Housing Regulatory Authority (CHRA) registered organisations
capable of delivering homes across the range of social and affordable housing.
“The research shows we should support these organisations to grow in scale to meet the demand for both social and
affordable homes.
“The solutions of supply by providing more land, greater intensification and removing obstacles for development can
contribute.
Additional research by Sense Partners, commissioned by Community Housing Aotearoa, also shows that inclusionary zoning is a safe tool to assist in delivering
affordable rental and assisted homeownership, Scott Figenshow comments.
“We have the tools, we just need to use them more actively.”
(ENDS)