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A new safe house in Hamilton will help women and children escaping from family violence start to get back on their feet, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The property, provided by Housing New Zealand for Waikato Women’s Refuge Te Whakaruruhau, was opened today and is well situated for medical services, supermarkets, public transport, parks and other community infrastructure.

It replaces a property first occupied by Te Wakaruruhau nearly 20 years ago that had become unsuitable for the refuge because of its location and configuration.

Newly built social housing units in West Auckland will ensure more vulnerable people can access healthy, modern housing while they need it, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

Mrs Bennett today opened 10 new units developed by VisionWest Community Trust at Triangle Road, Massey. The 30-bedroom development cost $4.3 million, which included $2 million in funding from the Government’s Social Housing Unit fund.

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett and Salvation Army Territorial Commander Commissioner Robert Donaldson have dedicated a new social housing site in Royal Oak, Auckland.

As announced by the Government last week, more social housing from the community housing sector in Auckland is expected to deliver over 500 new places, with 87 places provided by The Salvation Army. 50 of these will be new one and two bedroom units built on the currently empty site in Royal Oak.

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett and Salvation Army Territorial Commander Commissioner Robert Donaldson have announced the Government and The Salvation Army will work together to provide more social housing for vulnerable Aucklanders.

As announced by Mrs Bennett today, a request for more social housing from the community housing sector in Auckland is expected to deliver over 500 new places, with 87 places provided by The Salvation Army.

Community Housing Providers will deliver over 500 new social housing places in Auckland, well in excess of the 300 target, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) will contract with five registered Community Housing Providers to deliver 508 new social housing places over the next three years. $10 million in up-front funding will be provided to support costs related to bringing the supply on stream.

The Minister Responsible for Housing New Zealand, Bill English, along with Social Housing Minister, Paula Bennett, are welcoming news that the massive programme to repair 5000 earthquake-damaged social housing stock in Christchurch has been reached ahead of schedule.

The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes damaged 95 percent of Housing New Zealand’s properties, affecting about 20,000 tenants across greater Christchurch.

Vulnerable New Zealanders are benefiting from continued growth in the community housing sector, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The number of social housing tenancies with registered Community Housing Providers (CHPs) has now surpassed 300. CHPs have been eligible to house tenants with the Government’s Income Related Rent Subsidy since April 2014.

Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett are pleased to announce the Government is now taking Expressions of Interest from Community Housing Providers (CHPs) to transfer social housing in Invercargill and Tauranga.

As announced by the Prime Minister in January, the Government’s Social Housing Reform Programme includes plans to transfer 1,000 to 2,000 Housing New Zealand Corporation houses and tenancies to registered CHPs over the next year.

P-users are delaying vulnerable people from getting access to social housing and have forced Housing New Zealand to demolish 14 contaminated homes in three years, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

 “Last year Housing New Zealand (HNZ) decontaminated nearly 230 meth infected homes costing taxpayers $2.3-million,” she says.

“We will not tolerate any meth use in HNZ properties,” Mrs Bennett says.

Changes to discourage people from refusing reasonable social housing offers will help house vulnerable New Zealanders sooner, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

“Some people on the social housing register are unrealistically picky when they are offered a property,” Mrs Bennett says.

“Every year people are refusing offers of hundreds of social housing properties without a good reason and this is holding up others from getting into warm, dry and adequate homes.

New Zealanders have beaten stiff competition from Australia, picking up multiple awards at a ceremony celebrating excellence in community housing this week.

Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) and VisionWest Chief Executive Officer Lisa Woolley were honoured at the Australasian Housing Institute’s 2015 Professional Excellence in Housing Awards held in Perth on Wednesday.

The proposed transfer of approximately 1,500 Housing NZ Corporation houses and tenancies in Tauranga and Invercargill to registered Community Housing Providers will shortly move to the next stage, Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett say.

As announced by the Prime Minister in January, the Government’s Social Housing Reform Programme includes plans to transfer 1,000 to 2,000 Housing NZ Corporation houses and tenancies to registered Community Housing Providers over the next year.

The latest Social Housing Register figures show the results of working closely with applicants and supporting their individual needs, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The September 2015 Social Housing Register quarterly figures, released today, has decreased by 1,132 from the September 2014 quarter to 4,467 – a 20% decrease.

More vulnerable New Zealanders will be able to access emergency housing when they need it, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The Government will invest $2 million in non-government organisations (NGOs) in Auckland for a short-term emergency housing response to help address the shortage of emergency housing places.

Treasury and the Ministry of Social Development are looking to identify further opportunities for the supply or transfer of social housing, Ministers Bill English and Paula Bennett say.

“Under the Social Housing Reform Programme the Government has committed to subsidise an additional 3,000 social housing tenancies nationally, by the end of 2018,” Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

Eight new properties being opened today show the importance community organisations play in housing vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

Ensuring housing developed on Crown land in Auckland includes provision for social housing will ensure more vulnerable New Zealanders can get access to warm, modern properties, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says. 

Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith announced today that the Crown land Development Programme will proceed at pace and the intention is that 20 per cent of homes developed will be new social housing.

Housing New Zealand’s maintenance programme is making its properties warmer and healthier for vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

Upgrades have been completed at 2,869 properties since June. Just in the past week, maintenance teams have completed 761 responsive repairs, and 131 minor capital works which include things like upgrading insulation.

“Improvements to Housing New Zealand’s properties are making a real difference to the lives of those who most need our help,” says Mrs Bennett.

Vulnerable young people needing a supportive and stable living environment will benefit from a new accommodation service, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

Supported Accommodation for Youth will see up to 21 young people aged 16-19, who are on the social housing register, housed for as long as they need it.

Improving the focus on supporting vulnerable New Zealanders’ individual needs has led to more people getting access to social housing, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

The June 2015 Social Housing Register quarterly figures, released today, show the number of applications on the register has decreased by 1,299 from the June 2014 quarter to 4,541 – a 22% decrease.

Tax provisions to ensure community housing providers can continue to offer housing support to New Zealanders will give the sector the certainty it needs to keep growing, Ministers Paula Bennett and Todd McClay say.

“Some community housing providers risk losing their charitable status by supporting people into home ownership,” Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

“We are of the view these providers give invaluable service and as such we want to ensure they are not worse off financially,” Mrs Bennett says.

The pace of the Government’s rebuild and repair of social housing in Christchurch continues to progress at top gear, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

Housing New Zealand (HNZ) has now repaired more than 4,000 of its quake-damaged properties. With this achievement, HNZ enters the final phase of its earthquake recovery programme that will see up to 5,000 earthquake-damaged homes repaired by the end of 2015.

Law changes to help grow an innovative social housing sector and house more vulnerable New Zealanders passed into law today.

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says the Social Housing Reform (Flexible Purchasing and Remedial Matters) Bill is a crucial part of the Government’s reform programme to put tenants first and increase the supply of housing that suits their needs.

Putting tenants first and promoting housing independence is central to the Government’s continued investment in social housing, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

“Budget 2015 ensures the Government can take the next crucial steps to provide more social housing for those New Zealanders who most need it.

“Housing needs range from emergency and social housing right through to affordable housing and we are focused on helping people on that journey to housing independence where appropriate.