PHOTO: “Rents and the price of affordable housing are likely to continue to rise faster than incomes.” Photo credit: Getty
The Salvation Army is comparing the country’s housing crisis to the “perfect storm” and expects the situation to get even worse over the next year.
The organisation has written a post-election briefing to the Housing Minister Megan Woods, citing historically low-interest rates, a stalled private rental market and not enough new houses as drivers of the crisis.
It also believed an increasing population due to COVID-19 border closures was partly to blame and wanted a “more measured immigration policy” which is aligned to New Zealand’s capacity to build more housing.
The Salvation Army called for eight policy reforms, which included the government addressing the impact of the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy, implementing some form of capital or wealth tax and partnering with NGOs to provide social and emergency housing.
It also wanted a review of the operational and financial sustainability and effectiveness of the government’s housing provider Kāinga Ora.
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