Housing Data Stocktake

Housing has become a widespread issue of concern across Aotearoa New Zealand in recent years due to what some are calling a ‘housing crisis’ resulting in increased homelessness, reliance on private rentals and a decrease in homeownership due to rising house prices outstripping incomes, alongside population growth. A recent press release from Kiwibank suggests that New Zealand has a shortfall of 130,000 homes.

Amidst this crisis, the interagency Wellington Regional Healthy Housing Response Group has been working to understand how to halt these trends across the Wellington region. Specifically, they sought to answer the question:

Is there sufficient housing supply, and is it of sufficient quality, for all residents in the [Wellington] region to be living in warm, dry, and safe housing by 2025?