More houses for homeless New Zealanders are being opened today in Tauranga by Associate Housing Minister Kris Faafoi.

Six 2-bedroom quality units are being opened at 878 Cameron Road by Minister Faafoi and Accessible Properties, a local Community Housing Provider (CHP).

Accessible Properties now provides more than 1,700 community housing places throughout New Zealand, with 1,160 of those in the Bay of Plenty.

“Houses in the Bay of Plenty and up and down New Zealand are in short supply as demand for housing continues to exceed supply. This includes needing more transitional and public housing.

“More houses becoming available in Tauranga will support more local people into warm, dry, and secure housing,” Minister Kris Faafoi said.

“A place to call home is essential to a person’s wellbeing and provides a platform for recovery, employment, education and wider community engagement and participation.

“We need to do more on this problem, which has developed over a long period of time and it will take time to fix,” Kris Faafoi said.

He called for New Zealanders to get behind efforts to ensure housing for all homeless New Zealanders.

“Today I welcome Accessible Properties latest contribution to deal with New Zealand’s housing shortage, and I acknowledge all the individuals, organisations and communities who have stepped up to respond.

“There is a long way to go but our commitment is strong,” Mr Faafoi said.

Last year Housing First, which includes wrap around support, launched in Tauranga. It is led, locally, by the People’s Project to house and support up to 100 people and whānau.

The Government is funding the rapid increase in the supply of public housing to establish 6,400 places by June 2022.

In the 12 months from June 2018 to June 2019, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had delivered over 2,178 public housing places.

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