Public Housing Advocates Call Decision To Cancel State Housing Projects And Sell Land “Devastating”

The decision to cancel 212 Kāinga Ora projects – 3,479 homes that could have provided decent and stable housing to communities is being called "devastating" by public housing advocates that have been calling on the Government to keep building state housing.

“The Government has made a choice to sell state housing land and cancel projects that would have provided thousands of decent and stable housing to people in our communities,” says Vanessa Cole, spokesperson for Public Housing Futures.

“These state housing projects were already not enough to house our waitlist, let alone the many people in our communities living in housing stress. By cancelling these projects the Government is going to force more people onto our streets and into their cars,” says Cole.

“Many of these projects, like the Jordan Ave project in Onehunga, had state housing and families living there. They were forced out on the promise that there would be more state housing built for their communities. Now the land is being sold to the highest bidder – this is devastating,” says Cole.

“State housing is infrastructure for care and connection – it’s what makes our communities places where everyone can thrive. When we lose state housing, we all suffer – it means more people live in housing stress.

“Selling land to private developers and investors will only drive up the price of housing and rents. The Government is propping up the private market – while removing one of the only stable and suitable housing options.

“Building state housing should be a priority - it keeps our tradies in work, it houses our communities. The private market will not do this.

“This is heart breaking for the 20,000 households on the housing register, for the over 100,000 people who are living in severe housing deprivation and for the many people struggling to pay their rent each week,” says Cole.

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