Affordable housing a must for the region

The Auckland Regional Growth Forum estimates that at least 23,000 or 6% of all households in the Auckland region are paying unaffordable rents. It says this statistic would look worse if it included the number of households living in sub-standard accommodation and low-income households paying high mortgages.

The Growth Forum, representing all the councils of the region, has released the Auckland Regional Affordable Housing Strategy, which aims to make good housing more accessible to lower income families.

The strategy considers those most as risk to be households with incomes in the lower 40% of income distribution, paying rents over 30% of their gross income. It estimates that the number of households currently paying unaffordable rents in the region could increase to 34,200 by 2016 and 45,600 by 2041.

Growth Forum and Regional Council (ARC) chair Gwen Bull says that while the Growth Forum doesn't have specific responsibility to provide housing, it recognises the need for a consistent approach to ensuring that housing is affordable for all.

"The support of all those involved in the wider housing industry is vital if the Auckland region is to properly address its challenge of growth."

Cr. Bull describes the region's challenge as "accommodating the next million people while retaining and enhancing the things that makes the region special."

The Auckland Regional Affordable Housing Strategy was initiated and completed with input from all of Auckland's councils over a three year period involving a wide range of organisations from central to local government and specialist individuals.

© Scoop Media