Research and Policy
Online version - New Zealand Housing Strategy - Foreword
For many New Zealanders, home is their place to stand. Homes contribute to our every-day wellbeing, although the cost of building, maintaining or renting them weighs heavily on the pocket for most of us.
The housing sector in the broadest sense - the builders, local authorities, real estate agents, community trusts, and investors - makes up a sizeable slice of the national economy. Expansion in these areas is important for the livelihoods of those directly involved, and also for economic growth.
While the state retains its long-standing role as the largest landlord in the country, most New Zealanders house themselves without government assistance. This Government remains committed to ensuring those on low and modest incomes or with special housing needs receive the help they require to find and stay in affordable, good quality housing. Over the long term, we want to work with local government, industry and other stakeholders to ensure New Zealand has an adequate housing supply that is well designed and built in the right way, and for a range of needs.
This Strategy is not just about shelter and free-standing homes. Housing is more than building houses: it is as much about building community as it is about people's homes.
This Strategy clearly shows a basic bricks and mortar approach to housing has been superseded by innovative policies and practices taking account of wider social and economic needs. The shift towards increased community-based housing, more affordable homeownership opportunities, and a mix of new housing reflecting community diversity is re-mapping our landscape.
Homeownership has provided many New Zealanders with an incentive to save and accumulate a significant asset. This Government wants to encourage a savings culture and recognise the importance of homeownership in this context.
State houses have been an important feature of New Zealand housing since the late 1930s and will remain so. Increasingly, they will be alongside housing provided by other community partners. Housing choices and designs of the future will inevitably grow from what has gone before.
Thank you to all who have been a part of this process. This Strategy lays out where we're heading.
Steve Maharey
Minister of Housing
