Public housing plan

The Public Housing Plan (PHP) sets out the government’s public housing supply plans for 2021-2024. There’s a growing need for public housing in Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s a vital part of our social support system, providing individuals and whānau with a stable, affordable place to live.

About the PHP 

The PHP focuses on building new public housing, with Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities (Kāinga Ora) leading the delivery. We’re also working with Community Housing Providers (CHPs), iwi and Māori and local government to deal with public housing shortages. 

The PHP sets out the following expectations for 2021-2024: 

  • more collaboration between Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Kāinga Ora, iwi and Māori, CHPs, local government and the construction industry 
  • more public housing in regional centres and towns where housing demand is growing the fastest 
  • an increase in the number of new-build public housing and a progressive decrease in the proportion of private market homes that are leased for public housing 
  • target responses to different housing needs, especially for Māori, using Māori and Iwi Housing Innovation Framework for Action (MAIHI) and place-based approaches.  

Download a copy of the PHP  

PHP focus areas 

Although public housing will continue to be delivered throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, the PHP focuses on opportunities to build more public homes in communities that have severe housing shortages. It identifies nine focus areas which are facing high population growth and where the waiting list for public housing is growing exponentially: 

  • Far North – Te Taitokerau 
  • Hamilton – Kirikiriroa 
  • Tauranga 
  • Rotorua 
  • Gisborne – Tairāwhiti 
  • Napier – Ahuriri 
  • Hastings – Heretaunga 
  • Whanganui 
  • Palmerston North- Papaioea 

Download factsheets about the focus areas 

A MAIHI and place-based approach 

The PHP takes a MAIHI and place-based approach.  

MAIHI supports kaupapa Māori and whānau-centred approaches. This means partnering with iwi and Māori to deliver housing solutions for Māori, by Māori.  

Read more about MAIHI

Our place-based approach to housing recognises that every community has its own housing and urban development opportunities and challenges, and solutions need to be tailored to suit those needs. 

Read more about our place-based approach

Overview of current and planned public and transitional housing supply 

 

2018

2020

2022

2024

Northland

 

 

 

 

Public housing

2,041

2,162

2,247

2,557

Transitional housing

139

166

273

311

Auckland

 

 

 

 

Public housing

30,722

33,300

35,223

37,623

Transitional housing

949

1,273

2,040

2,653

Bay of Plenty

 

 

 

 

Public housing

2,661

2,885

3,045

3,485

Transitional housing

199

233

412

504

East Coast

 

 

 

 

Public housing

4,046

4,133

4,409

4,869

Transitional housing

252

380

548

716

Waikato

 

 

 

 

Public housing

4,410

4,739

4,781

5,371

Transitional housing

112

208

468

540

Central

 

 

 

 

Public housing

2,312

2,337

2,574

2,834

Transitional housing

60

114

205

232

Taranaki

 

 

 

 

Public housing

1,271

1,254

1,326

1,426

Transitional housing

19

25

56

60

Wellington

 

 

 

 

Public housing

8,565

8,864

9,429

10,009

Transitional housing

209

323

534

615

West Coast/Tasman

 

 

 

 

Public housing

1,447

1,485

1,662

1,882

Transitional housing

63

70

143

171

Canterbury

 

 

 

 

Public housing

7,534

8,246

8,289

8,739

Transitional housing

272

342

546

637

Southern

 

 

 

 

Public housing

1,869

1,883

1,993

2,183

Transitional housing

67

100

175

202

TOTAL

 

 

 

 

Public housing

67,228

71,319

75,278

81,278

Transitional housing

2,341

3,234

5,400

6,641

Total public housing places for 2018 and 2020 don’t include 300 and 61 places where addresses were unable to be assigned a geocode and could not be allocated to a region. In previous reporting, these were included in the category other/unknown. These places have been carried through to the total public housing figures for 2022 and 2024. 

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