Labour is accusing the Government of failing to deliver on its housing commitments, claiming more than 800 promised homes have yet to be built despite repeated pledges to expand housing supply.
The party says the latest housing figures show the Government is falling well short of the targets it set in successive Budgets, leaving more families waiting for affordable and social housing as demand continues to grow.
According to Labour, Budget 2024 included a commitment to deliver an additional 1,500 homes. It argues that, at the halfway point of the programme, only 270 homes have been completed when around 750 would have been expected if construction was progressing on schedule. The party also says a further 600 homes announced in Budget 2025 have resulted in only 263 completed homes, leaving a combined shortfall of 817 homes.
Labour contends that the shortfall reflects wider decisions to scale back Kāinga Ora’s construction programme and review projects that were previously planned or underway. It argues these changes have slowed the delivery of new public housing while increasing pressure on families seeking secure accommodation.
Housing remains one of the defining issues of the 2026 election campaign, with affordability, homelessness and the supply of social housing continuing to dominate political debate.
The Government has defended its approach, saying it inherited a housing system that required significant reform. It has launched a multi-year overhaul of social housing, saying the focus is on ensuring support reaches those with the greatest need while improving the long-term sustainability of the system. The Government has also highlighted funding for more than 2,000 additional social homes through Community Housing Providers and broader reforms to Kāinga Ora.
However, housing advocates have continued to express concern about the pace of new home construction and the impact of reduced public housing development. Recent reports have pointed to growing pressure on emergency accommodation providers and increasing numbers of people experiencing homelessness in some parts of the country.
For Māori, the issue carries particular significance. Māori remain disproportionately represented among households waiting for public housing and are more likely to experience housing insecurity, overcrowding and homelessness than the wider population. Many iwi, hapū and Māori housing providers have called for sustained investment in affordable housing alongside greater support for papakāinga developments and community-led housing initiatives.
With the General Election approaching, housing policy is expected to remain a major battleground, with political parties offering competing visions for increasing housing supply, improving affordability and addressing New Zealand’s ongoing housing crisis.
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