Housing
Increasing homelessness during the past year dominated the experience of the communities where The Salvation Army is working. Visible street homelessness is the proverbial ‘tip of the iceberg’ for the much larger issue of severe housing deprivation in this country. Living in a home that is healthy and affordable is fundamental to the dignity and good life outcomes for every person in this country. Progress must be measured against this goal to end homelessness and ensure affordable housing for all.
Number of households in transitional housing and emergency housing—2017–2024 (October years)
The number of people in emergency housing declined dramatically by nearly 80 percent during 2024 to its lowest number in at least eight years, as the government tightened criteria for access to this kind of housing support. While many of those previously in emergency housing were able to be supported into social housing and even private rentals, the housing situation for around one-fifth of those leaving emergency housing in 2024 is unknown.
Housing unaffordability continues to impact Pacific and Māori disproportionately. Pacific peoples in Aotearoa face the highest rental affordability stresses and have the lowest home ownership rates of our country’s large ethnic groups.
The year to September 2024 saw the largest increase in the total supply of public housing provided by community housing and Kainga Ora in many years. This helped to reduce the number of people waiting to be housed on the public Housing Register to the lowest level since 2020, but other factors such as people exiting the register for other reasons than being housed have also contributed to the reduction.
Rental affordability worsened for those renting in the private rental sector, with rents in lower-income communities continuing to increase faster than inflation and average wage growth over the past decade.
Number of public homes—2017–2024
The number of building consents declined for the second year in a row following the 50-year high in 2021. But population growth continues to be strong, and there was an estimated shortfall of over 4000 in the number of housing consents required to provide enough housing to meet population growth (let alone reduce the housing shortage).
Consents by dwelling type nationally—2013–2024 (September 2024)
The median house price in 2024 remained largely around the same level as in 2023, still well above the prices pre-Covid-19 in 2019, meaning little improvement in the affordability of housing to buy for those on low incomes. Total average debt per household, including housing as well as consumer and credit card debt, remained around the same as in 2023. When adjusted for inflation, average housing debt per household is back down below 2019 levels and consumer credit debt, 36 percent lower than five years ago.
Too little progress has been made this year and the crisis of housing unaffordability remains intense for people on lower incomes.
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Data: Housing Interactive Dashboard
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