May 23, 2024
Social housing ahead of first home spend
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Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says the ending the first home grant scheme will free up putea for social housing.
Money saved from cutting the $10,000 grant will go towards the $140 million the Government intends to give to community housing providers for 1,500 new social housing places over the next four years.
Mr Potaka says many Māori and Pacific Island people are homeless, or living in over-crowded properties.
He says Māori and non-Māori community housing providers such as the Salvation Army, Kahui Tu Kaha and Ngāti Toa will be better placed to help.
“There are over 12,500 Māori families on the social housing waitlist, 1500 – maybe more – Maori families or households living in emergency housing up and down the country and particularly in places like Hamilton West. I understand a lot of people have been saving to buy a house but our priority now is address those in severe need,” Mr Potaka says.
He says advice from economist Brad Olsen from Infometrics was there were economic questions round the value of the First Home Housing Grant.