Housing Policies | NZ Election 2017

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what the parties will do about

Housing Affordability

Home ownership rates have fallen to a historic low and many attribute this to a lack of...

Home ownership rates have fallen to a historic low and many attribute this to a lack of affordable housing. But how did we get here and what do we do about it? Together the parties point to almost everything under the sun, from consenting rules to immigration to tax.

Swipe left and right to see more parties.

Green

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Build 10,000 homes to sell to low-income earners through rent-to-own scheme
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Why
The Green Party believes that it’s too hard for many people to both pay rent and save for a home deposit or mortgage. The government has a responsibility to make affordable housing available for everyone. Building new homes to sell to low-income earners over time should help make homeownership possible for those who would otherwise not be able to afford it.

How
The Green Party would build 15,000 new homes. 10,000 of these would be sold over ten years to households who can’t afford a mortgage or deposit through the ‘Home for Life’ rent-to-own scheme. The remaining 5,000 homes would be sold to community housing providers.

Under the scheme, homeowners would make a weekly payment to the Government of up to 30 per cent of their income. Part of this payment would be rent and the rest would gradually buy equity in the home. With each payment, part of the ownership of the home would transfer to the household.

The scheme would be open to individuals or households who earn less than the median income in their region. An asset test would also apply. If demand exceeds supply, houses would be allocated by ballot. All people in the scheme would need to complete a household budgeting course.
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Introduce a capital gains tax on all assets except family homes
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Why
The Green Party believes the current tax system is unfair because capital gains on property are not taxed even though they are a kind of income. This both increases the divide between rich and poor and encourages speculative investment in property, which drives house prices up.

Taxing capital gains should make houses more affordable by dampening property speculation, and make the tax system fairer. It should also benefit exporters as less borrowing for investment in property should reduce the value of the New Zealand dollar.

How
The Green Party would tax investors on the capital gains they make from buying and selling assets, including real estate.

This tax would apply to all assets bought and sold in New Zealand by both people and corporations, whether they live in New Zealand or overseas, except for family homes.

The taxed capital gains would be treated as income for tax purposes. The value of the asset would be inflation adjusted when assessing any capital gain. The tax would only be payable when the asset was sold, and not as the gain accrues over time.
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Restrict residential property ownership by non-residents
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Why
The Green Party believes that non-residents are increasing demand for property, driving up house prices. Banning non-residents from buying residential land should reduce demand for property, making houses more affordable.

How
The Green Party would limit the sale of residential land to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents. The ban might include a sunset clause which would require the law to lapse after a period of time, requiring any future government to reconsider whether the ban is still necessary.

The Green Party would also collect information on the number of non-resident housing speculators in New Zealand.
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Close the negative gearing and combined collateral exemption loopholes
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Why
The Green Party believes that loopholes like negative gearing and the combined collateral exemption make property an especially attractive investment, which increases demand for property and drives up house prices.

Negative gearing is when an investor’s losses on an investment property, such as when mortgage interest payments exceed rent income, are treated as expenses against the investor’s other income for tax purposes.

The combined collateral exemption allows borrowers with owner-occupied and investor collateral to bypass the usual loan-to-value ratio restrictions which are designed to slow investment demand for property. Closing these loopholes should reduce demand for property, making houses more affordable.

How
The Green Party would close loopholes for property speculators such as negative gearing and the combined collateral exemption.
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Allow student loan borrowers to defer student loan repayments to save for a home deposit
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Why
The Green Party believes that houses are too expensive for many New Zealanders, particularly those with student loans who have to pay 12 percent of their income on student loan repayments. People working hard after studying deserve to find secure housing before worrying about paying back their student loans.

Allowing people to save for a first home before paying off their student loans should make buying a first home easier, and encourage young people to stay in New Zealand, improving student loan repayment levels in the long run.

How
The Green Party would allow student loan borrowers to divert part or all of their mandatory student loan repayment into a housing deposit savings account.

The savings accounts would be held and managed by Inland Revenue. Any diverted payments not allocated to buying a first home would be transferred back to the student loan account.

To be eligible for this ‘Faster into Homes’ plan, borrowers would need to earn over the repayment threshold of $19,000.

Māori Party

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Build 90,000 houses by 2022 for social housing and private sale
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Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of home ownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

Building 90,000 houses over the next five should reduce homelessness while providing more affordable homes for first home buyers.

How
The Māori Party would build 90,000 houses by 2022. These would be a mixture of social housing and apartment housing developments.

60,000 of these would be in Auckland and the others would be in other areas of New Zealand with severe housing shortages.

Half of the houses in Auckland would be built by 2019. The other half would be built over 2019 to 2022.
The houses outside of Auckland would be built over three years.

By 2025, the Māori Party aims to have built a total of 120,000 houses in Auckland. By 2045, it aims to have 400,000 built across the country.
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Establish a Minister for Māori and Pasifika Housing
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Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of home ownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

Housing is currently dealt with by three different ministers, and the Minister for Māori Development role doesn’t have enough resources to fully deal with Māori housing issues. Establishing a Minister for Māori and Pasifika Housing should lead to a more focussed approach to Māori and Pasifika housing issues.

How
The Māori Party would establish a Minister for Māori and Pasifika Housing.

The Minister would be responsible for all housing related issues that Māori and Pasifika face, including homelessness to homeownership. One of goals would be to end homelessness by 2020.

The Māori Party would also develop a national housing strategy with specific reference to the rights and interests of Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. A Housing Sector select committee would be established in Parliament to design the strategy.
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Increase financial support for low-income first home buyers
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Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of homeownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

Many low-income families cannot afford the deposit to buy a home. Adopting an all of government approach to help low-income first home buyers should help more whānau into secure housing.

How
The Māori Party would adopt an all of government approach to helping low-income families buy homes.

The Māori Affairs low interest housing loan would be reintroduced for Māori and Pacific families. All successful loan applicants would be provided with financial literacy and budgeting support.

The Māori Party would also introduce ‘rent to buy’ and ‘equity financing’ schemes. These would allow people to buy the home they live in over time.

Whānau would also be able to capitalise any income support payments they receive as a deposit for a home.
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Subsidise private developers to include affordable houses in new developments
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Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of homeownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

There are too few incentives for housing developers to build affordable houses. Subsidising the construction of affordable houses should provide more affordable houses while ensuring developers can stay in business.

How
The Māori Party would subsidise private developers to include some affordable houses in their housing developments.
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Increase the number of Māori and Pasifika in the construction sector
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of homeownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

Providing more support for Māori and Pasifika involvement in the construction sector should increase the construction workforce, leading to more affordable houses.

How
The Māori Party would increase the number of Māori and Pasifika working in the construction sector through a range of initiatives, including trades training and scholarships.

The Māori Party aims to have 400,000 new homes built by 2045.

National

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Build 20,000 new houses for private sale in Auckland
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Why
National believes that the shortage of affordable homes in Auckland is the result of a lack of supply of land for new housing. At the same time some state housing land is not being used efficiently.

Redeveloping those state houses and other Crown land in partnership with private developers, and selling new houses to private buyers, should harness private enterprise to increase the amount of affordable and social housing available for Aucklanders.

How
National would continue its Crown Building Project, which involves the redevelopment of Crown land in Auckland into mixed social and private housing. 8,300 state houses would be demolished and 34,000 new homes built over ten years. The net addition to the housing stock would be approximately 26,000 homes.

About 20,000 of these new houses would be sold to private buyers while the rest would be used for social housing. Of the houses sold to private buyers, 35 percent would be classified as ‘affordable’, meaning they would be sold for less than $650,000. The redevelopments would integrate social housing, affordable housing and market-priced housing together. The redevelopments would be undertaken by private developers in partnership with the government.

The Crown Building Project is an umbrella term for a number of different projects, some of which have been underway for several years. The projects include the Tamaki and Hobsonville developments, the Ministry of Social Development’s Social Housing Reform Programme and Housing New Zealand’s Auckland Housing Programme, and the Crown Land Programme, which also involves some construction in Queenstown and Christchurch.
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Replace parts of the RMA with new urban planning law
(...)

Why
National believes that cities need the ability to adapt and develop quickly as the economy grows, while respecting and improving the urban environment.

The current law, the Resource Management Act, has a one-size-fits all approach that has slowed the development of cities, limited their economic performance and reduced the supply of housing and infrastructure.

Reform to the Resource Management Act has improved the process but no more improvement can be made by changing that law. Creating new urban planning laws should encourage more responsive planning, faster development, and better protection for the environment in growing cities

How
National would replace parts of the Resource Management Act with a new urban planning law.

The law would contain separate planning and environmental regulations, and would be aimed at encouraging more responsive planning, faster development and better protection for the environment. It would facilitate the use of urban development authorities to develop new housing in cities.

The new law would incorporate some rules which are now in the Local Government Act and the Land Transport Management Act.

National would also consider changes to the planning rules for non-urban and rural areas. These changes would be through the existing Resource Management Act.
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Continue using Special Housing Areas to fast-track building consents for homes in high demand areas
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Why
National believes that current planning rules are driving house prices up because they slow down construction, reducing the supply of new houses. Relaxing the rules in areas of high demand should allow for more homes to be built more quickly.

How
National would continue designating certain areas of high housing demand as Special Housing Areas, allowing planning rules to be fast-tracked. There are currently over 213 Special Housing Areas across New Zealand.

This approach follows Housing Accords between central government and local councils, which are agreements allowing local councils to identify Special Housing Areas and grant consents more freely in those areas.
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Continue to lend to local councils to build new housing infrastructure
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Why
National believes the main cause of high house prices is a lack of supply. The high cost of infrastructure, such as roads and water infrastructure, contributes to this by making it too expensive to build housing developments.

The government is in a better position to borrow money for these purposes than local councils. Lending money to councils to fund infrastructure should allow councils to build more infrastructure sooner than they otherwise could, facilitating more new housing development.

How
National would continue to lend to councils for housing infrastructure, such as roads and water infrastructure, in high growth areas through the Housing Infrastructure Fund.

The fund is only available for substantial new infrastructure investments that support more new housing, not to replace existing infrastructure.

Councils need to repay the investment or buy back the assets once houses have been built. Funding may have conditions attached, such as faster processing of resource consents.

As a part of Budget 2017, National allocated a further $3.5 million to administer this fund.

National has also repurposed Crown Fibre Holdings, the government company responsible for broadband roll out, to become Crown Infrastructure Partners.

The company will now undertake infrastructure projects where local councils cannot afford to do so, supported by central government funding. Councils will have the option of purchasing the infrastructure in the future.
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Increase grants to first home buyers
(...)

Why
National believes every New Zealander should be able to buy their own home if they want to. Currently, some first home buyers have difficulty saving a big enough deposit to own a home.

Increasing grants to first home buyers should make it easier for young New Zealanders to buy their first home.

How
National would increase grants to first home buyers, called the HomeStart grant, by $10,000.

This would allow for grants of up to $20,000 for an existing home or $30,000 for a new build.

National would also simplify the process for applying for the grants to allow people to apply for a government backed Welcome Home Loan at the same time.

Labour

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Build 100,000 houses to sell to first home buyers
(...)

Why
Labour believes that the possibility of homeownership is slipping away for most people. Too few houses are being built, which is driving up up prices. And of the houses that do get built, too few are affordable.

The government needs to take the lead in coordinating the constructions of new homes. Doing so should help overcome the shortage of affordable homes for New Zealanders.

How
Labour would build 100,000 homes, called Kiwibuild homes. Half of these would be built in Auckland.

Houses would be sold at cost and only to first home buyers. This means houses would cost $500,000-$600,000 in Auckland and $300,000-$500,000 elsewhere. Buyers would be required to repay any capital gain to the government if they sell the home within five years.

The Kiwibuild programme would be managed by a new Affordable Housing Authority, which would hold surplus urban Crown land and have fast-tracked planning powers. The Authority would partner with the private sector, councils and iwi to undertake major development projects. Labour would also partner with hapu, iwi and Māori organisations to develop affordable housing in some cases.

Typical developments would be half KiwiBuild and half private developments. Infrastructure like schools, roads and community facilities would be built as a part of the developments.

The Authority would be allocated $100m initially, in addition to $2 billion invested in the Kiwibuild programme. This investment would be recycled as houses are sold and returned to the Crown at the end of the programme.

Labour anticipates that its Dole for Apprenticeships programme would help provide the labour force for this new construction. This programme subsidises employers to take on young people for apprenticeships, including in building and construction.

The Affordable Housing Authority would also have a dedicated Māori Housing Unit which would ensure housing policies are tailored to meet the specific needs and aspirations of Māori. Labour would investigate the option of shared equity and rent to buy for KiwiBuild houses with iwi.
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Restrict residential property ownership by non-residents
(...)

Why
Labour believes that non-residents are increasing demand for property by making speculative investments. This is driving up house prices, making housing unaffordable for most people.

Banning non-residents from buying residential land unless they build a new home should both reduce demand for property and encourage the construction of new homes. This should give New Zealanders a better shot at buying a home.

How
Labour would ban non-residents from buying residential property unless they build a new home. This ban would also apply to foreign trusts and corporations.

Students, skilled migrants and temporary residents in New Zealand for more than a year would still be able to buy existing homes provided they are sold when they leave New Zealand. The rules would be enforced by requiring non-resident buyers to gain consent for residential land purchases.
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Remove limits on Auckland urban boundaries and density
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Why
Labour believes that urban growth boundaries and restrictions on housing density limit the supply of new homes, increasing house prices. This is particularly a problem in Auckland. Removing limits on urban growth and density controls in certain areas should allow more houses to be built on less land, increasing supply and bringing down house prices.

How
Labour would issue a National Policy Statement under the Resource Management Act to relax housing density rules in Auckland.

This change would allow higher density construction in town centres and on transport routes, and would include removing Auckland’s urban boundary and using intensive planning to guide development.

Land of special value in growth corridors would be acquired and set aside for transport, public space and utilities, while new transport infrastructure would be developed in anticipation of housing developments.

Infrastructure for new developments would be funded by infrastructure bonds. These would tap international bond finance and package it for new developments, with the debt then serviced through targeted rates on the properties in the new development.
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Tax capital gains on investment properties sold within five years of purchase
(...)

Why
Labour believes that the possibility of homeownership is slipping away for most people. Speculative investment is driving up house prices beyond the reach of most people.

The ‘bright line’ test introduced by the National Government effectively imposes a capital gains tax on capital gains from houses sold within two years of purchase, but this is too short a time to deter speculative investment.

Extending the test to five years should better discourage speculative investment and make the tax system more fair by taxing property investment income.

How
Labour would tax capital gains on investment properties when sold within five years of purchase. This change would extend the so-called ‘bright-line’ test from two years to five years.

The current exemptions from the bright line test would continue and it would not apply to owner-occupied or inherited properties. The rule would also only apply to properties bought after the rule change.

Labour would also change negative gearing rules to prevent speculators from claiming losses on investment properties as expenses to reduce their tax on other income.

Under the negative gearing tax rules, investors can claim losses from investment properties, such as when mortgage interest payments exceed rent income, against their other income as an expense for tax purposes. This change would be phased in over five years with loss deductibility reducing by 20 per cent a year.

Labour would also create a Working Tax Group to advise on possible changes to the tax system. Labour would consider proposals from the group to introduce a capital gains or land tax, but would not consider applying these to family homes.
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Expand programmes to support Māori home ownership
(...)

Why
Labour believes that all New Zealanders should have a fair shot at owning a place of their own. But the Māori homeownership rate has fallen to barely a quarter and 14,000 Māori are homeless.

It it too tough for Māori to access private mortgages and government housing policies if there’s more than one owner of a piece of land. Working with Māori organisations to expand support Māori home ownership programmes should help more Māori into homes and reduce homelessness.

How
Labour would expand homeownership support programmes for Māori.

An additional $20 million would be invested over four years into non government and Māori housing providers who deliver supported home ownership services such as budgeting advice.

Labour would also reform the Kāinga Whenua and Welcome Home Loans schemes so that Māori can access home loans for land held in a whānau trust with multiple owners.

Under the Welcome Home Loans scheme, Housing New Zealand underwrites bank loans so that lenders can provide loans to those who would otherwise sit outside of the bank’s lending standards. The Kāinga Whenua scheme extends Kiwibank home loans to land with multiple owners.

Labour would also work with banks, iwi and Māori organisations to allow iwi and Māori organisations to access mortgages collectively on behalf of their members.

Labour would also investigate the option of shared equity and rent to buy for KiwiBuild houses with iwi.

TOP

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Tax income from all productive assets and redistribute to below-average income earners
(...)

Why
The Opportunities Party believes that the current tax regime favours property owners and unfairly burdens wage earners. This is because there is a loophole for non-cash income—only cash income from assets is taxed, not in kind income.

For property in particular, this means homeowners get accommodation without paying either rent or tax on this benefit, unlike landlords who pay tax on rental income or people with savings who pay tax on their savings.

This loophole encourages speculation, which drives up house prices, and increases inequality by giving a handout to property owners. It also is bad for the economy because it encourages investment in assets rather than other more productive uses.

Taxing all productive income from assets and redistributing it to below-average income earners should create a fairer tax system by reducing inequality, while also reducing property speculation and stimulating the economy.

How
The Opportunities Party would impose a tax on all productive assets, including on houses and land, by deeming a minimum rate of return on those assets for tax purposes. Those assets would be deemed to generate an income which would be taxed just as rent from tenants is taxed as income for landlords.

All additional tax collected by this policy would then be redistributed to people with below-average incomes through income tax cuts.

Owners of productive assets who already declare a level of income as high as the rate of return across their assets would be unaffected. The policy would also be phased in progressively by increasing the required minimum taxable earnings rate over several years to give asset owners time to adjust.

Homeowners over the age of 65 would be allowed to pay the tax via a mortgage to the IRD, payable on change of ownership, so as to avoid cash flow issues. Businesses facing a temporary or cyclical earnings downturn would be allowed to defer their minimum income tax for a period of up this to three years.

NZ First

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Build 140,000 houses to sell to first home buyers
(...)

Why
New Zealand First believes that New Zealand is building fewer homes now than in the 1970s and this is making homes unaffordable, particularly for first home buyers. This can be addressed by direct government intervention. Coordinating the development and sale of new residential properties should make more affordable homes available for first home buyers.

How
New Zealand First would establish a state agency, Kiwi Housing, to buy land and build residential housing. This housing would be sold to first home buyers.

Twenty-five year loans would be provided to buyers by the agency on affordable terms. A Housing Commission would be established to conduct strategic planning of the programme.

NZ First estimates this programme would result in 20,000 houses a year being built in Auckland over the next seven years.
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Restrict land ownership by non-residents
(...)

Why
New Zealand First’s preference is for New Zealanders to farm and look after the land for future generations. But New Zealand’s primary industries are slipping into foreign control. Immigrants are also increasing demand for residential property, driving up house prices.

Restricting non-residents ownership of land land should reduce demand for property, bringing down house prices and ensuring wealth generated by the primary sector stays in New Zealand.

How
New Zealand First would restrict ownership of land by non-residents. Non-residents would only be able to buy houses where a genuine need to do so can be established. All sales of farmland to non-residents would be banned.

Businesses, corporations, joint ventures and overseas-based trusts and funds would need to have majority New Zealand shareholdings to purchase land. The Overseas Investment Office would be responsible for monitoring and enforcing these rules.

As part of this policy, New Zealand First would create a public register of non-resident property ownership. This would record the name and nationality of buyers, the amount and value of land bought, and where the land is.
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Change the building consent process to allow faster approvals of new housing
(...)

Why
New Zealand First believes that the current consenting process makes it too difficult for local authorities to approve development and make land available for housing. This is driving up house prices by making construction more expensive. Giving local authorities more powers and incentives to provide affordable housing should help to bring house prices down.

How
New Zealand First would change the consents process to allow faster approvals of new housing.
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Encourage local authorities to provide more affordable housing and to make more land available for housing
(...)

Why
New Zealand First believes that a shortage of housing and land for building new housing contributes to increasing house prices. Local authorities should have greater involvement in providing affordable housing and releasing land for development.

How
New Zealand First would give local authorities greater powers and incentives to provide more affordable housing options and to make more land available for housing.

ACT

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Replace the Resource Management Act with less restrictive planning rules
(...)

Why
ACT believes that land use rules are a significant cause of high house prices, and are the single largest cause of poverty, inequality and sickness in New Zealand.

The Resource Management Act in particular gives too much power to councils to restrict development, and the consenting process is costly and time-consuming for applicants, including farmers.

The National Government’s reforms to the Act have not gone far enough and have made it worse by creating new provisions to involve iwi. Reforming the Resource Management At should ensure that property rights and economic growth are properly respected.

This should also make it easier for rural businesses to grow and reduce development costs, bringing down house prices.

How
ACT would repeal the Resource Management Act. In its place it would introduce separate planning rules for urban and rural environments.

The new urban planning rules would apply to cities with 100,000 people or more. It would prioritise supplying land and infrastructure in response to demand, and would automatically permit development on land which had reached a certain value.

The law would also make zoning less restrictive, with fewer levels and types of zoning. Objection rights would be limited to people who are directly affected by new developments, excluding third parties. The law would include obligations to set out future infrastructure corridors.

ACT estimates these changes would allow for the construction of 600,000 homes in Auckland areas like Waitakere, Karaka, and Clevedon.

The new planning rules for rural areas would be designed to make it easier for rural businesses to operate and grow.
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Abolish the rural-urban boundary
(...)

Why
ACT believes that land use rules are a significant cause of high house prices, and are the single largest cause of poverty, inequality and sickness in New Zealand. The rural-urban boundary sets different planning rules for rural and urban areas and confines growth.

This arbitrarily restricts the number of houses that can be built in some place. Abolishing the rural-urban boundary should result in more houses being built, which should reduce house prices.

How
ACT would abolish the rural-urban boundary. The rural-urban boundary is a planning rule preventing significant new urban development in rural areas.

ACT estimates that abolishing the rural-urban boundary would make room for 600,000 more homes in Auckland.
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Share GST revenue from housing construction with local councils
(...)

Why
ACT believes that the cost of infrastructure that councils must build to support new developments, like transport infrastructure, water and sewerage, discourages councils from approving new houses and subdivisions. This reduces the number of new houses being built, increasing house prices.

Sharing GST revenues from housing construction with councils should provide an incentive for them to approve more housing and greater flexibility to fund infrastructure.

How
ACT would share a portion of GST revenue collected from the construction of new housing with local councils. Ordinarily GST is collected by the government. The shared revenue would be used by councils to cover the cost of core infrastructure.

Councils would also be given greater flexibility to raise funds for infrastructure, such as being allowed to charge special targeted rates on new developments.
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Replace building safety and quality standards with mandatory private insurance
(...)

Why
ACT believes that central and local government regulation is holding up the development of new houses. Replacing the current building inspections and compliance regime with mandatory private insurance should reduce the cost of compliance for builders and reduce the financial risk on councils.

Builders would have an incentive to get the lowest-cost insurance by proving they are constructing high-quality buildings. And insurers would have an incentive to find the most reliable builders and best building supplies to insure, so standards would still be upheld.

How
ACT would remove local council’s responsibility for building certification. Instead, all new buildings would have to carry insurance for a period of 25 years. It would be up to insurance companies to decide what to do to ensure the buildings were of a high quality.

what the parties will do about

Renting

With rising house prices, renting is becoming the norm for many, and more than half of people...

With rising house prices, renting is becoming the norm for many, and more than half of people over 15 live in rented accommodation. But many complain that renting is too expensive and insecure to be a desirable alternative to home ownership.

Swipe left and right to see more parties.

National

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Create a new criminal offence for people who contaminate rental properties with meth
(...)

Why
National believes drugs and the gangs who sell them are a scourge on society. Creating a new criminal offence to punish people who contaminate rental properties with methamphetamine should reduce methamphetamine use.

How
Nation would create a new criminal offence of ‘wilful contamination’ to punish people who contaminate rental properties with methamphetamine.
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Make it easier for landlords to test properties for meth and evict tenants
(...)

Why
National believes that methamphetamine contamination has become a significant issue. The health of people living in houses contaminated by the manufacture and use of meth is at risk from highly toxic chemicals.

But at the moment it can be hard for landlords to test rental properties while tenanted or to evict tenants if the property has been contaminated. The law needs to be changed to fix this.

How
National would change the law to make it easier for landlords to test properties for methamphetamine and evict tenants.

Landlords would be allowed to enter their rental properties to test for methamphetamine and would be required to notify their tenants of the results of any testing.

Where a property is found to be contaminated to an unsafe level, the landlord would be allowed to evict the tenant and the tenant would be allowed to end their tenancy.

Testing would have to be carried out in accordance with new contamination standards established by regulations. These regulations would also set out the proper process for decontamination.
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Make tenants liable for careless damage to a rental property
(...)

Why
National believes that tenants should have good incentives to take care of the houses they rent. But a recent court decision decided that landlords couldn’t recover the costs of damage including the excess on any insurance policy.

The law should be changed to ensure tenants and landlords have the right incentives.

How
National would change the law to make tenants liable for careless damage to a rental property.

Tenants would be liable for the cost of their landlord’s insurance excess up to a maximum of four weeks’ rent for each incident of damage caused by carelessness. Landlords would be required to disclose to tenants whether or not they hold insurance.
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Improve legal protections for people living in unlawfully rented premises
(...)

Why
National believes that people living in unlawfully rented premises like unlawfully converted garages, warehouses or industrial buildings are not properly protected.

Currently, tenancy law doesn’t apply to these premises so the Tenancy Tribunal has no jurisdiction over any dispute between the landlord and tenant. Extending tenancy law to these situations should allow landlords who rent out unlawful premises to be prosecuted and protect tenants in such situations.

How
National would extend tenancy law to cover premises which aren’t lawful to rent out.

The Tenancy Tribunal would be able to order the landlord to refund rent to the tenant or to fix whatever is making the premises unlawful. Breaching an order to fix the premises would be an unlawful act and a tenant could seek up to $4,000 in damages.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment would also be able to take enforcement actions against landlords for breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act, like it presently can against landlords renting out lawful premises.
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Increase payments for accommodation costs
(...)

Why
National believes that the Government can do more to help people facing high housing costs. Increasing payments to assist with accommodation costs should better reflect changes in rent and housing costs, and assist lower income families.

How
National would increase payments for accommodation costs by increasing the maximum amounts available through the Accommodation Supplement.

This is a benefit to help people with their rent, board or the cost of owning a home. The maximum payment for a two person household would be increased by between $25 and $75 per week. The maximum for a larger household would increase by between $40 and $80 per week.

National estimates that 136,000 households would benefit from the increase by an average of $36.

Labour

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Introduce enforceable quality standards for rental housing
(...)

Why
Labour believes that too many people are left living in cold, damp and mouldy homes because the property they rent is substandard. This is a big cause of preventable illness, especially among children. Introducing enforceable quality standards should ensure that all people can have a warm and dry place to live.

How
Labour would require all rental properties to meet enforceable quality standards.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority would set minimum standards relating to heating, insulation, indoor temperatures, ventilation, draught-stopping and drainage. Standards would also be set for boarding houses.

The standards would apply to all new tenancy agreements made after the standards are introduced, which would be in the first 100 days of Labour in Government. The standards would apply to all tenancies five years after becoming law. Landlords would be fined up to $3,000 for renting out properties which don’t meet the standards.

This policy would be implemented by amending the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
Save this
Abolish ‘no cause’ evictions and increase the eviction notice period to 90 days
(...)

Why
Labour believes renting is increasingly a life-long reality for families but renting laws haven’t kept up. Having to move houses frequently is disruptive for children and expensive for families.

Abolishing ‘no cause’ evictions and increasing the eviction notice period to 90 days should provide greater security for renters. It should also help families stay longer in a rental, establish roots in their community, and improve their children’s education by staying at the same schools.

How
Labour would abolish ‘no cause’ termination of tenancies and increase the eviction notice period to 90 days. Currently the minimum notice period is 42 days.

To evict tenants who are in breach of a tenancy agreement, landlords would either need to give 90 days notice or seek an order from the Tenancy Tribunal.

Landlords would be allowed to give notice for eviction where they need the home to live in, have sold the property, or do not want to continue a fixed term tenancy past its expiry.
Save this
Limit rent increases to once per year
(...)

Why
Labour believes renting is increasingly a life-long reality for families but renting laws haven’t kept up.

Limiting rent increases to once per year should give renters greater certainty and help families stay longer in a rental, establish roots in their community, and improve their children’s education by staying at the same schools.

How
Labour would limit rent increases to once per year. Currently rent can be increased once every six months.

Labour would also require tenancy agreements to specify the formula for future rent increases.
Save this
Abolish letting fees
(...)

Why
Labour believes renting is increasingly a life-long reality for families but renting laws haven’t kept up. Abolishing letting fees should strike a better balance between the rights of tenants and landlords.

How
Labour would abolish letting fees.
Save this
Allow some tenants to make minor alterations to rental properties
(...)

Why
Labour believes renting is increasingly a life-long reality for families but laws around renters’ rights have not kept up. Allowing some tenants to make minor alterations to rental properties should strike a better balance between the rights of tenants and landlords.

How
Labour would allow some tenants to make minor alterations to rental properties. Tenants and landlords would be able to agree that the tenant can make minor alterations, such as putting up shelves, in fixed term leases of 12 months or more.

The tenant would be obliged to pay double the ordinary rate of bond and restore the property to its prior state at the end of the tenancy.

Green

Save this
Provide for longer-term tenancies with a right of renewal
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that a lack of security of tenure makes renting a second-rate option to home ownership, making it hard for renters to plan their futures and have certainty about things like school enrolment and jobs.

Providing longer-term tenancies and a right of renewal should change this by allowing renters to put down roots in a community without worrying about needing to move at short notice.

How
The Green Party would reform the Residential Tenancies Act to provide longer term tenancies and a right of renewal to tenants.

New tenancies would have a default term of three years, though tenants and landlords could agree a shorter period. When a lease expires, tenants would have a right to renew the lease if they want to.

The reform would also require landlords to give 90 days notice to tenants when a property is sold rather than 42 days.

The Green Party would also allow tenants to make modifications to a property, provided they can be reversed when moving out, such as painting walls.
Save this
Increase controls on rent rises
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that unpredictable and frequent rent rises make renting a second-rate option, giving renters less certainty than, for example, people with mortgage repayments. Increasing controls on rent rises should allow people living in rental accommodation to have better information about their future housing costs and increase financial transparency in the tenancy relationship.

How
The Green Party would reform the Residential Tenancies Act to increase controls on rent rises. Landlords would have to state in residential leases what criteria they will use to calculate any increase in rent. Rent rises would be limited to no more than once every year.
Save this
Reform the Tenancy Tribunal
(...)

Why
he Green Party believes the way the Tenancy Tribunal works is out of date. Currently, its orders are published, which means tenants can be discriminated against for having taken action against a past landlord.

The adversarial nature of the Tribunal also delays solutions for landlords and tenants. Reforming the Tenancy Tribunal should better protect the rights of tenants.

How
The Green Party would reform the Tenancy Tribunal.

Mediation services would be available to tenants and landlords without having to file a formal complaint. Penalties for non-compliance with Tribunal orders would be increased.
Decisions of the Tribunal would be anonymised to protect the identities of tenants.

The Green Party would also establish a national advocacy and advice office for tenants called FlatMates. This would be accessible by an 0800 number and a website. FlatMates would provide information about tenants’ rights, and fund local housing advocacy groups to assist tenants and landlords with advice.
Save this
Introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for rental homes
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that renting shouldn’t be a second-rate option to home ownership but at the moment it is. Too many renters are living in substandard and unhealthy homes, and many children are getting sick as a result.

Requiring residential rental properties to get a warrant of fitness should protect tenants from dangerous properties and help making renting a reasonable alternative to home ownership.

How
The Green Party would introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for residential rental properties.

Properties that meet minimum standards relating to safety, warmth and weather-tightness would be awarded a warrant of fitness. Standards would include surfaces being clear of mould, existence of decent ventilation, a functional toilet, properly connected drains, safe electrical wiring, floor and ceiling insulation, adequate heaters, and no cracks or holes in the building fabric.

The scheme would be voluntary until 1 January 2019. Landlords who fail to meet minimum conditions would have three months to make improvements. If standards still aren’t met after three months the landlord would be prevented from charging rent until the standards are met.

Ordinarily assessments would cost $200-300 and would be carried out every three years by local councils but those with poor track records would be inspected more often.

Landlords with outstanding rental properties would be able to apply to have their property ranked according to a star rating system. Stars would be awarded for amenities such as solar panels, outside storage facilities and wall insulation.

NZ First

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Create tax incentives for landlords to upgrade rental housing
(...)

Why
New Zealand First believes that poor quality rental housing is the result of underinvestment by landlords. Creating tax incentives for landlords to upgrade housing should improve rental housing for tenants while adding to the value of rental properties for landlords.

How
New Zealand First would change tax rules to allow landlords to treat improvements to rental housing as an expense for income tax purposes.

Expensable improvements will include home insulation, solar heating, heat pumps, HRV heating systems, wood pellet and other approved burners, earthquake strengthening, fire, food and other disaster protection.

Māori Party

Save this
Streamline and clarify the bond refund system
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare.

At the moment, the bond refund system is unfair for renters, who are often left paying commercial cleaners with their bond when they leave their property. This system could be made fairer and faster.

How
The Māori Party would streamline the bond refund system.

A Bond Release Checklist would also be created that defines ‘fair wear and tear’ and ‘clean’ so that tenants are not left paying commercial cleaners with their bond when they leave a property.
Save this
Strengthen tenants’ rights
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But in many areas, tenants are finding more and more of their income is being spent on rent.

As rents rise, so too does the pressure on tenants to keep a roof over their heads, especially as wage increases struggle to keep pace with rising housing costs. Strengthening tenants’ rights should provide greater housing security for renters.

How
The Māori Party would review the rental sector with a view to improving tenants’ rights.

In particular, the Residential Tenancies Act would be reviewed to make the rebalance the relationship between tenant and landlord.
Save this
Consider capping rents for private rentals
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But in many areas, tenants are finding more and more of their income is being spent on rent.

As rents rise, so too does the pressure on tenants to keep a roof over their heads, especially as wage increases struggle to keep pace with rising housing costs. Capping rents may be a way to provide greater housing security for renters.

How
The Māori Party would explore rent caps for private rentals.

As part of its social housing policy, it would cap rents for social houses.
Save this
Establish a Minister for Māori and Pasifika Housing
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of home ownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

Housing is currently dealt with by three different ministers, and the Minister for Māori Development role doesn’t have enough resources to fully deal with Māori housing issues. Establishing a Minister for Māori and Pasifika Housing should lead to a more focussed approach to Māori and Pasifika housing issues.

How
The Māori Party would establish a Minister for Māori and Pasifika Housing.

The Minister would be responsible for all housing related issues that Māori and Pasifika face, including homelessness to homeownership. One of goals would be to end homelessness by 2020.

The Māori Party would also develop a national housing strategy with specific reference to the rights and interests of Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. A Housing Sector select committee would be established in Parliament to design the strategy.
Save this
Introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for rental homes
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But too many live in unhealthy homes.

Introducing a warrant of fitness scheme should ensure all rental properties are healthy and safe.

How
The Māori Party would introduce a compulsory warrant of fitness on all rentals.

The warrant of fitness would be renewed annually by housing inspectors.

TOP

Save this
Introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for rental homes
(...)

Why
The Opportunities Party believes that warm and secure housing is a social good and a human right that everyone should enjoy. Introducing a warrant of fitness scheme for rental homes should improve the quality of rental housing.

How
The Opportunities Party introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for rental houses. All landlords would be required to insulate rental properties to a modern standard and provide a heat source.
Alongside the warrant of fitness, the Building Code would be progressively improved over time. Eventually the Building Code would require houses to meet a “passive house” standard, which involves designing buildings to require minimal energy for heating and cooling.
Save this
Develop a market for long term tenancies as an alternative to home ownership
(...)

Why
The Opportunities Party believes that warm and secure housing is a social good and a human right that everyone should enjoy. Housing shouldn’t be just another commodity to be bought and sold by those who can afford it.

But at the moment, tenancies are short term and insecure. Home ownership is seen as the only way to have secure housing. Developing a market for long term tenancies should provide people with secure accommodation and a real alternative to homeownership.

How
The Opportunities Party would change tenancy law to provide for long term tenancies.

Landlords would only be allowed to end a tenancy for a serious reason, which would not include selling the house. Where there is a sufficiently serious reason, they would need to give 90 days notice. This notice period would increase with the length of time the tenant has been in residence.

Greater limits would be also be imposed on the rate at which a landlord could raise rents on an existing tenant.

Tenants would also be allowed to redecorate and make small alterations without approval from the landlord.

what the parties will do about

Social Housing

There are many kinds of social housing — state houses, council flats, and housing provided by...

There are many kinds of social housing — state houses, council flats, and housing provided by community organisations. But there isn’t enough to accommodate demand and relieve unprecedented pressure on emergency accommodation.

Swipe left and right to see more parties.

National

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Continue to fund community-based housing initiatives to prevent homelessness
(...)

Why
National believes that providing shelter for the homeless is not enough to address the problem in the long-term. Community-based housing initiatives offer a range of ways to address the causes of homelessness. Funding these initiatives should help permanently reduce homelessness.

How
National would continue to fund community-based housing initiatives that address homelessness such as Housing First and Better Housing Outcomes. These programmes are funded by the government and local councils, and are delivered by non-government organisations.

The Housing First initiative finds housing for the homeless before providing services to address the underlying contributors to homelessness such as mental health issues, substance addiction and domestic violence and abuse. Better Housing Outcomes focusses on supporting social housing tenants at risk of becoming homeless.

National would also provide $27 million towards a new Auckland City Mission complex to provide permanent accommodation to homeless and vulnerable people in Auckland. The complex is expected to be ready by mid-2020.
Save this
Build 5,200 new social homes in Auckland
(...)

Why
National believes rising house prices have added pressure on all accommodation including social housing. An increasing number of people require social and emergency housing, and more needs to be built.

National believes that more diverse ownership of social housing would improve social housing services. In some cases, non-government housing providers could do a better job at managing social housing than Housing New Zealand, the government-owned corporation that currently manages state houses.

Redeveloping state housing land, and selling some social housing to non-government housing providers, should make social housing more modern, more responsive, more efficient, and better suited to the needs of tenants.

Proceeds of the sales can be spent on building more social housing. It also creates new opportunities for the development of affordable housing for private sale.

How
National would build 5,200 new social housing homes in Auckland.

8,300 state houses would be demolished and 34,000 new homes built over ten years. The net addition to the housing stock would be approximately 26,000 homes. About 20,000 of these new houses would be sold to private buyers while 5,200 would be used for social housing.

This construction is a part of the Crown Building Project, which is an umbrella term for a number of different projects, some of which have been underway for several years. The projects include the Tamaki and Hobsonville developments, the Crown Land Programme, the Ministry of Social Development’s Social Housing Reform Programme and Housing New Zealand’s Auckland Housing Programme.

Most of the new social housing would be built through the Auckland Housing Programme, which is lead by Housing New Zealand. National estimates it will cost $2.23 billion. This will be funded through Housing New Zealand’s balance sheet and new commercial borrowing of $1.1 billion. In later years the project will be funded by selling private houses built as a part of the redevelopment.

Some of the new housing would be built as a part of the Social Housing Reform Programme, under which state housing is transferred to non government organisations for redevelopment into mixed private and social housing.
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Continue to sell state houses to non government housing providers
(...)

Why
National believes that more diverse ownership of social housing would improve social housing services. In some cases, non-government housing providers could do a better job at managing social housing than Housing New Zealand, the government-owned corporation that currently manages state houses.

Selling state housing to non government housing providers should result in social housing being managed by providers who will apply fresh thinking and improve the way tenants are supported, and properties are managed.

How
National would continue to sell state houses to non government housing providers as a part of its State Housing Reform Programme.

The properties would remain as social houses and the new owners would not be allowed to sell them. Current tenants would remain in their homes and rents would be unaffected.

National would transfer 2,500 state houses in Christchurch in late 2017. Sales have already been completed in Tauranga.
Save this
Continue to build new social houses in Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton
(...)

Why
National believes rising house prices have put pressure on all accommodation including social housing. An increasing number of people require social and emergency housing, and more needs to be built.

How
National would continue building new social houses in Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton through projects lead by Housing New Zealand.

In Wellington, 145 social homes will be built. Some of these will replace recently demolished social housing. 30 new social homes will be built in the Hutt Valley and 383 will be refurbished.

300 homes are planned for construction on Housing New Zealand land in the Hutt Valley. 100 of these would be social homes and the rest would be for private buyers.

In Christchurch, 145 new social homes will be built. 82 are already under construction, 35 are contracted or under negotiation, and a further 28 homes are being planned.

In Hamilton, 71 new social homes would be built.
Save this
Continue funding the expansion of emergency housing
(...)

Why
National believes that New Zealand, and particularly Auckland, is facing housing challenges. Some people are unable to find permanent places to live. Funding the expansion of emergency housing should provide people with help when they need it most.

How
National would continue to fund the expansion of emergency housing. The expansion involves Housing New Zealand acquiring facilities for emergency housing, including motels, as well as the government paying non-government organisations to provide emergency housing.

Currently, 1,400 emergency housing places are available and National plans to increase the total to 2,150.

Tenants in emergency housing pay no more than 25 per cent of their income in rent. The government also provides emergency housing grants for up to seven days of accomodation in, for example, a hostel or motel.

Labour

Save this
Change Housing New Zealand from a corporation to a public service department
(...)

Why
Labour believes that Housing New Zealand, the government-owned corporation which owns and manages state houses, has become a glorified property management company. Its earnings have been paid to government rather than reinvested in state housing.

Turning Housing New Zealand into a public service department should allow the organisation to refocus on the government’s social responsibility to provide good quality housing for those who cannot afford to buy a home or pay market rents.

How
Labour would establish a new ministry to take on Housing New Zealand’s responsibilities. Earnings from its property holdings would be reinvested in state housing rather than taken by government as a dividend.

The new ministry would assume responsibility for eligibility assessments and wait list management from the Ministry of Social Development, and the social housing policy role from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Save this
Stop the sale of state houses
(...)

Why
Labour believes that the most basic duty of government is to ensure that all people have a place to live. But the National Government is selling off state houses at the same time that rising house prices are making thousands of New Zealanders homeless.

Ending the sale of state houses should help ensure that all New Zealanders have a roof over their head and somewhere safe and warm to live.

How
Labour would stop the sale of state houses to non-government housing providers or other private purchasers.
Save this
Build at least 1,000 state houses each year until demand is met
(...)

Why
Labour believes that the most basic duty of government is to ensure that all people have a place to live. But the National Government is selling off state houses at the same time that rising house prices are making thousands of New Zealanders homeless. Building more state houses until demand is met is necessary to help ensure that all New Zealanders have a roof over their head and somewhere safe and warm to live.

How
Labour would build at least 1,000 new state houses a year until demand for state housing is met.

The new state houses would be funded from Housing New Zealand’s earnings which in recent years have been taken by the government as a dividend.

Labour would partner with hapū, iwi and Māori organisations to develop some of these houses through the procurement process and by creating joint development organisations.
Save this
Develop a national strategy for ending homelessness
(...)

Why
Labour believes that the most basic duty of government is to ensure that all people have a place to live. But rising house prices mean that many New Zealanders, including 14,000 Māori and many young Rainbow New Zealanders, are homeless.

A national strategy is needed to ensure the government has a clear plan to ending homelessness.

How
Labour would develop a national strategy and action plan for ending homelessness.

This strategy would focus on getting people into secure housing in the first instance, implementing a licensing regime and minimum standards for boarding houses, and meeting the specific needs and circumstances of young Rainbow people.
Save this
Increase funding for emergency housing
(...)

Why
Labour believes that the most basic duty of government is to ensure that all people have a place to live. But rising house prices mean that many New Zealanders, including 14,000 Māori, are homeless.
Increasing funding for emergency accommodation should ensure fewer people end up homeless.

How
Labour would provide more emergency housing. It would also implement a licensing regime for boarding houses to improve their quality.

Māori Party

Save this
Support greater iwi and community ownership of social housing
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of home ownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

Greater iwi and community ownership of social housing should give iwi and communities greater ability to ensure social housing meets local needs.

How
The Māori Party would support greater iwi and community ownership of social housing through a series of initiatives.

The Māori Party would fund community and iwi led projects for social housing development and enable marae, hapū and iwi to purchase government housing at cost to hold in trust for social housing purposes.

The Māori Party would also introduce new Community Housing Associations made up of community and mana whenua representatives. These associations would be able to purchase and manage state housing stock from government for social and affordable housing.

Iwi-based and kaupapa Māori providers and consortia would be supported to get Ministry of Social Development housing contracts through non-competitive processes, rather than through the current tendering process.

The Māori Party would also increase funding for marae and community organisations which provide emergency housing services.
Save this
Aim to end homelessness by 2020
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that homelessness is a mark of failure for communities in providing basic security. Right now there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika who have the lowest rates of home ownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

How
The Māori Party would aim to end homelessness by 2020.

To achieve this goal, the Māori Party would set and monitor specific targets and would require the Government to meet its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. This recognises the right of everyone to housing, adequate standard of living and continuous improvements of living conditions.

The Māori Party would also implement a range of specific policies to achieve this target, including establishing a Minister for Māori and Pasifika People, building 90,000 houses by 2022, and by investing in community and iwi led projects to increase the number of social housing developments.
Save this
Build 90,000 houses by 2022 for social housing and private sale
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of home ownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

Building 90,000 houses over the next five should reduce homelessness while providing more affordable homes for first home buyers.

How
The Māori Party would build 90,000 houses by 2022. These would be a mixture of social housing and apartment housing developments.

60,000 of these would be in Auckland and the others would be in other areas of New Zealand with severe housing shortages.

Half of the houses in Auckland would be built by 2019. The other half would be built over 2019 to 2022.
The houses outside of Auckland would be built over three years.

By 2025, the Māori Party aims to have built a total of 120,000 houses in Auckland. By 2045, it aims to have 400,000 built across the country.
Save this
Establish a Minister for Māori and Pasifika Housing
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of home ownership and the highest rates of homelessness.

Housing is currently dealt with by three different ministers, and the Minister for Māori Development role doesn’t have enough resources to fully deal with Māori housing issues. Establishing a Minister for Māori and Pasifika Housing should lead to a more focussed approach to Māori and Pasifika housing issues.

How
The Māori Party would establish a Minister for Māori and Pasifika Housing.

The Minister would be responsible for all housing related issues that Māori and Pasifika face, including homelessness to homeownership. One of goals would be to end homelessness by 2020.

The Māori Party would also develop a national housing strategy with specific reference to the rights and interests of Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. A Housing Sector select committee would be established in Parliament to design the strategy.
Save this
Cap social housing rents
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But there’s a housing crisis in Aotearoa, particularly for Māori and Pasifika people who have the lowest rates of home ownership and the highest rates of homelessness. Social housing should be provided for those that need it at affordable prices.

How
The Māori Party would cap rent for all social housing and review the rent every five years.

The Māori Party would also establish a new category of social housing within the private market where tenants with school-aged children and larger families have their rent topped up by whatever amount they are unable to pay.

Green

Save this
Build 5,000 homes to sell to non-government housing providers
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that everyone should have access to safe and secure housing but at the moment an increasing number of people are homeless or in substandard housing. There are not enough state houses to address this problem. Building homes to sell to non-government housing providers should make more social housing available.

How
The Green Party would build 15,000 new homes.

5,000 of these would be sold to non-government housing providers, including iwi. The remaining 10,000 would be sold to households who can’t afford a mortgage or deposit through the ‘Home for Life’ progressive ownership scheme.

The non-government housing organisations would be free to use the homes for emergency housing, rented social housing, or to on-sell to tenants under rent-to-buy schemes. Under these schemes, the tenant would make regular payments to the provider and own an increasing portion of the home over time, eventually owning the whole home.
Save this
Build 450 more state houses
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that everyone should have safe and secure housing but that there is currently an increasing number of people who are homeless or in substandard housing. There is not enough state housing to address this problem. Building more state houses should help address this need.

How
The Green Party would build around 450 new state homes. These homes would be built in the most high-need areas and would prioritise housing the homeless.

Construction of the new state homes would be funded by allowing Housing New Zealand, the government-owned corporation which owns and manages state housing, to retain its earnings rather than paying them to the government and by exempting Housing New Zealand from paying income tax.
Save this
Stop the sale of state houses
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that everyone should have access to safe and secure housing but at the moment there is an increasing number of people who are homeless or in substandard housing because they cannot afford to buy or rent a home. There is not enough state housing to address this problem. In this context, the government should not sell off state houses.

How
The Green Party would take state houses that are currently for sale off the market and make them available to rent.
Save this
Fund non-government housing organisations with government-backed investment bonds
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that an increasing number of people need social housing but non-government housing organisations do not have access to sufficient finance to build enough houses to meet this need. Using government-backed bonds to fund these organisations should harness investment that might otherwise go into the property market to provide more social housing.

How
The Green Party would fund non-government housing organisations with government-backed investment bonds. Bonds would be sold to the public to raise money. The government would then use this money to make low interest loans to non-government housing organisations to build new social houses.

The bonds would be partially government guaranteed to reduce risk to investors. The first bond offer would seek to raise $50 million which would be enough for at least 100 new homes. If the programme succeeds it would be repeated.

Housing New Zealand and the Treasury would administer the scheme and its costs would be met from the money raised from investors.
Save this
Cover the entire cost of emergency accommodation
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that everyone should have access to safe and secure housing but at the moment many families who are forced into emergency accommodation end up with large debts to Work and Income. Covering the entire cost of emergency accommodation should prevent those who have no choice but to live in emergency accommodation from getting into debt.

How
The Green Party would cover the entire costs of emergency housing until families find a long-term home. Any debt that emergency housing tenants currently owe to Work and Income would be wiped.

TOP

Save this
Gift state houses to non-government housing providers
(...)

Why
The Opportunities Party believes that transferring state housing to not-for-profit housing providers has been successful in Australia and the United Kingdom. Taking the same approach in New Zealand should better meet the needs of people who struggle to meet market housing costs by allowing them to expand and make more social housing available.

How
The Opportunities Party would gift state houses to non-government housing providers to use as social housing.
Save this
Review accommodation support payments
(...)

Why
The Opportunities Party believes that accommodation support payments, which cost about $2 billion a year, are very expensive and might be better spent on a different approach to providing housing support.

How
The Opportunities Party would review the accommodation support payments which the government provides to help people meet the cost of housing.

The review would consider whether the money spent on the payments should instead be used to fund community housing providers to develop long term cost-based rental housing infrastructure, as is the case in the Netherlands.

NZ First

Save this
Stop the sale of state houses
(...)

Why
New Zealand First believes the National Government is selling off state houses without replacing them. But Housing New Zealand should be the main social housing provider in New Zealand.

Selling off state houses is a privatisation of an asset that has been built up by taxpayers over decades. It also increases uncertainty for tenants and reduces the amount of affordable housing available for low-income families.

How
New Zealand First would stop the sale of state houses to non-government housing providers.
Save this
Support local councils to provide more pensioner housing
(...)

Why
New Zealand First believes that there is not enough affordable housing for pensioners. Local councils have sold off too much of their housing facilities and shouldn’t sell any more. New pensioner housing is needed to ensure all pensioners have access to affordable housing.

How
New Zealand First would support local councils in providing more pensioner housing, including by providing low-cost loans to those councils to build more pensioner housing and by discouraging them from selling off pensioner housing.
Save this
Require councils to have a social housing plan
(...)

Why
New Zealand First believes a shortage of social housing is contributing to homelessness. Requiring councils to have a social housing plan should ensure there is enough social housing for those in need.

How
New Zealand First would require councils to have a social housing plan.

what the parties will do about

Healthy Housing

Many homes in NZ aren’t properly insulated. Cold and damp housing is a major cause of illness,...

Many homes in NZ aren’t properly insulated. Cold and damp housing is a major cause of illness, especially in winter and among young children.

Swipe left and right to see more parties.

Labour

Save this
Introduce enforceable quality standards for rental housing
(...)

Why
Labour believes that too many people are left living in cold, damp and mouldy homes because the property they rent is substandard. This is a big cause of preventable illness, especially among children. Introducing enforceable quality standards should ensure that all people can have a warm and dry place to live.

How
Labour would require all rental properties to meet enforceable quality standards.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority would set minimum standards relating to heating, insulation, indoor temperatures, ventilation, draught-stopping and drainage. Standards would also be set for boarding houses.

The standards would apply to all new tenancy agreements made after the standards are introduced, which would be in the first 100 days of Labour in Government. The standards would apply to all tenancies five years after becoming law. Landlords would be fined up to $3,000 for renting out properties which don’t meet the standards.

This policy would be implemented by amending the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
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Pay people on superannuation or a benefit for winter energy costs
(...)

Why
Labour believes that too many New Zealanders live in homes that are too cold. Too many people become unwell and die each winter because their houses are inadequately insulated and heated. Providing an extra payment for winter energy costs to those most at risk should help them keep warm and healthy.

How
Labour would provide an extra payment for winter energy costs to people receiving superannuation or a benefit.

The payment would be $450 a year for a single person and $700 for couples and people with dependent children. It would be made in monthly instalments between May and September. Those receiving the payment could decide how to spend it.

Labour estimates the payments would cost $374 million a year.
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Provide more grants for home insulation and heating
(...)

Why
Labour believes that too many homes are inadequately insulated and heated, leaving people in cold, damp homes. The National Government hasn’t done enough to improve these conditions.

Increasing the home insulation subsidy should bring more homes up to standard. This should in turn improve health outcomes, save money on heating costs and reduce the country’s carbon emissions.

How
Labour would renew the home insulation subsidy scheme and increase the funding for the subsidy.

Homeowners and landlords would be able to get a contribution of up to $2,000 towards the cost of upgrading insulation or installing heating. The grants would pay up to half the cost of insulation upgrades, double glazing or the cost of installing a clean, fixed heating system. 600,000 grants would be available.

Green

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Require landlords to be registered and pay a maintenance bond
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that renting should involve both landlords and tenants working to meet their responsibilities, but right now landlords hold most of the power at the expense of tenants.

Requiring landlords to be registered and pay a maintenance bond should prevent bad behaviour from landlords and ensure that maintenance obligations are met.

How
The Green Party would require landlords to be registered and pay a maintenance bond.

The licensing system may require the landlord to show that they are a fit and proper person, that they have not previously treated tenants poorly, and that their house meets the Green Party’s proposed rental warrant of fitness.

Landlords would pay a $50 per year fee to be licensed.

They would also be required to pay a maintenance bond. The Tenancy Tribunal would be able to make this available to fund overdue maintenance and repairs.
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Introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for rental homes
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that renting shouldn’t be a second-rate option to home ownership but at the moment it is. Too many renters are living in substandard and unhealthy homes, and many children are getting sick as a result.

Requiring residential rental properties to get a warrant of fitness should protect tenants from dangerous properties and help making renting a reasonable alternative to home ownership.

How
The Green Party would introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for residential rental properties.

Properties that meet minimum standards relating to safety, warmth and weather-tightness would be awarded a warrant of fitness. Standards would include surfaces being clear of mould, existence of decent ventilation, a functional toilet, properly connected drains, safe electrical wiring, floor and ceiling insulation, adequate heaters, and no cracks or holes in the building fabric.

The scheme would be voluntary until 1 January 2019. Landlords who fail to meet minimum conditions would have three months to make improvements. If standards still aren’t met after three months the landlord would be prevented from charging rent until the standards are met.

Ordinarily assessments would cost $200-300 and would be carried out every three years by local councils but those with poor track records would be inspected more often.

Landlords with outstanding rental properties would be able to apply to have their property ranked according to a star rating system. Stars would be awarded for amenities such as solar panels, outside storage facilities and wall insulation.
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Fund upgrades to make homes warmer
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes that cold, damp and mouldy houses are causing more than a thousand New Zealanders to die each winter. But the National Government has cut funding for home insulation.

Subsidising insulation is a simple solution to keeping kids healthy and should improve the living conditions of many New Zealanders.

How
The Green Party would make subsidies of up to $2,500 available to all homeowners, including landlords to improve the warmth of homes.

Upgrades could include insulation, double glazed windows, thicker curtains, clean heating devices and other measures to improve warmth and dryness.

The Green Party would aim for 200,000 homes to be upgraded over three years with a view to eventually insulate all poorly insulated houses.

The Green Party estimates the scheme would cost $500 million.
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Pay low income households for winter energy costs
(...)

Why
The Green Party believes all New Zealanders should live in warm, dry homes that are cost effective to heat. Too many people get sick and die every winter because of inadequate housing. For many, winter energy costs are too high.

Providing a payment for winter energy costs to low income households should ensure everyone can afford to heat their home during winter.

How
The Green Party would pay all households earning less than $50,000 per year 75 per cent of the average cost increase of power during winter time. The payments would vary according to region and be paid from May to August each year.

TOP

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Extend insulation grants for low income households to cover electricity use
(...)

Why
The Opportunities Party believes that warm and secure housing is a social good and a human right that everyone should enjoy. Extending insulation grants for low income households to cover electricity use should make more houses warm and dry.

How
The Opportunities Party would extend insulation grants for low income households to cover electricity use. These grants provide up to 50% of the cost of insulation for low income homeowners and landlords with low income tenants.
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Introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for rental homes
(...)

Why
The Opportunities Party believes that warm and secure housing is a social good and a human right that everyone should enjoy. Introducing a warrant of fitness scheme for rental homes should improve the quality of rental housing.

How
The Opportunities Party introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for rental houses. All landlords would be required to insulate rental properties to a modern standard and provide a heat source.
Alongside the warrant of fitness, the Building Code would be progressively improved over time. Eventually the Building Code would require houses to meet a “passive house” standard, which involves designing buildings to require minimal energy for heating and cooling.

NZ First

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Fund home insulation for all uninsulated homes
(...)

Why
New Zealand First estimates there are 530,000 homes with no or inadequate insulation. Despite the National Government’s insulation programme, people are living in homes that are not warm and dry, which is risking the health of both children and older people.

Funding home insulation should ensure everyone can live in a home that is warm, dry and healthy.

How
New Zealand First would fund the insulation of all uninsulated homes.

This policy would be delivered by a public private partnership over 10 years. New Zealand First estimates that insulating each home would cost around $1,000 and the total cost of the programme would be $53 million.
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Improve building quality and sustainability objectives in the Building Code
(...)

Why
New Zealand First believes that inadequate building quality and sustainability objectives in the Building Code contribute to poor quality housing.

How
New Zealand First would add leak-proofing, insulation, and earthquake and landslip resistance to the building quality and sustainable housing objectives.

These objectives are a part of the Building Code which sets out high-level goals to be achieved by compliance with specific requirements of the Code.
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Provide superannuitants with a 10 per cent discount on electricity during winter
(...)

Why
New Zealand First believes senior citizens must be treated with respect and not as a burden on society. They should be supported to remain independent for as long as they wish.

Electricity is too expensive in winter, and a discount for superannuitants should ensure all seniors are able to heat their homes during winter.

How
New Zealand First would provide a 10 per cent discount on electricity for SuperGold Card holders during winter months.

National

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Continue to provide grants for insulation
(...)

Why
National believes that insulating a house can significantly reduce health costs. Providing grants for insulation should help vulnerable New Zealanders keep warm and stay healthy.

How
National would continue to provide grants for insulation through the Warm Up New Zealand Healthy Homes programme.

Grants are open to homeowners with a community services card, landlords with tenants with a community services card, and to low income tenants with high health needs related to cold, damp housing. The grants provide 50 per cent of the cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation.

The grants will be available until June 2018.

Māori Party

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Introduce a warrant of fitness scheme for rental homes
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But too many live in unhealthy homes.

Introducing a warrant of fitness scheme should ensure all rental properties are healthy and safe.

How
The Māori Party would introduce a compulsory warrant of fitness on all rentals.

The warrant of fitness would be renewed annually by housing inspectors.
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Subsidise solar energy, water tanks and sustainable heating for all homes
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that the environment needs to be protected and that there is an urgent need to address climate change. For those on low incomes, electricity costs are also too high.

Subsidising solar panels, water tanks and sustainable heating should reduce living costs and make it easier for whānau to warm their homes.

How
The Māori Party would subsidise the installation of solar panels, water tanks and sustainable heating systems for all homes in Aotearoa.

Solar power and energy storage solutions, such as home batteries, would also be provided to low income families and remote communities in particular.
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Halve power bills for households with rheumatic fever
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that rates of rheumatic fever are too high in New Zealand, especially among Māori and Pasifika. Cold, damp housing is a big contributor to high rates of rheumatic fever.

Subsidising power bills for households where people suffer rheumatic fever should make heating more affordable and reduce the rate of rheumatic fever.

How
The Māori Party would subsidise power bills by half for households in which people have rheumatic fever.
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Prioritise timber in housing construction
(...)

Why
The Māori Party believes that everyone should live in a safe, warm, healthy and affordable whare. But too many live in unhealthy homes. Prioritising wood in housing construction should lead to better quality housing options.

How
The Māori Party would adopt a ‘wood first’ policy to prioritise timber in housing construction.

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Housing Affordability

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