November 09, 2017
Rental option critical for Maori in housing reset
Auckland mayor Phil Goff says the struggle to pay the rent is the biggest problem for low income whanau in the city.
Mr Goff has welcomed the new Government’s commitment to 10,000 affordable houses a year, half in Auckland.
Over the past five years the average Auckland house price has risen to over $1 million.
A range of strategies will be needed to make houses affordable, but policymakers shouldn’t lose sight that increasing numbers of people are in the rental market.
"First of all we need more state houses, social housing. Secondly I’d really like to encourage some international investors to come in with build to rent. In places like Germany you will rent a lifetime and the house you rent is regarded as your home, you have absolute security of tenure etc," Mr Goff says.
Rather than further sprawl, Auckland will need to look at more apartments and terrace housing to create entry level homes.
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