Gisborne leading NZ's building efforts, but housing situation still a crisis

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Gisborne is leading the nation’s house-building efforts as nearly every other region sees a decline, but the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle mean the region’s housing situation is still in crisis.

New statistics show 32 new dwellings were consented here in March, a 166 percent increase on the same time last year, the highest rise in New Zealand and one of only four regions to see an increase in new builds  (Taranaki 20 percent, Marlborough 11 percent and Tasman 11.4 percent).

Over the first three months of the year, 51 new dwellings have been consented in the region, up from 46 for the same period last year.

Manaaki Tairāwhiti is the governance group made up of iwi, government agencies and support organisations involved in housing set up to address the region’s housing crisis. The group’s strategic adviser, Judy Campbell, said while there was a good pipeline of new builds in the works, Cyclone Gabrielle had “complicated” the already existing crisis with the region still “desperately short” of short-term housing.

“The region’s housing governance group met last week to look at progress against the Tairāwhiti Regional Housing Strategy,” Ms Campbell said.

“The cyclone has complicated the situation, given the many whānau who have been displaced by the impact of the floods. This includes the 230 whānau whose houses were red or yellow stickered. The numbers were likely to be more than this, if those who were without secure housing before Gabrielle hit the region were included.

“The waiting list on the Ministry of Social Development’s housing register remains at an all-time high.

“The response to the immediate crisis has been exceptional through iwi housing organisation Toitū Tairāwhiti and the government’s Temporary Accommodation Service. While there are issues in sharing data because of privacy concerns, all organisations are working cooperatively.

“The group is focused on ensuring the temporary solutions put in place for the cyclone impact are both sufficient for the current need, but are also useful in resolving our long-term problem.

“All organisations remain focused on long-term solutions with iwi housing initiatives and Kāinga Ora continuing their ambitious building programmes.

“The planning that has been undertaken over the past three years is bearing fruit with an almost continuous delivery of new social houses. There are more in the pipeline as the building consent data shows.

“The group remains concerned about overcrowding and whānau who are sleeping rough, particularly with winter coming. If anyone is feeling that their housing needs are not being met we encourage them to reach out to the Temporary Accommodation Service, or if their situation is long term and wasn’t caused by the cyclone, to either Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou or Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa or the Ministry of Social Development.”

The latest new builds in the pipeline will be three new homes on Huxley Road.

Kāinga Ora acting regional director East North Island Roxanne Cribb (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga) said building there would start soon.

“It is pleasing to see this large section, in the heart of Kaiti, being put to good use. Construction starts soon on three, four-bedroom, modern homes. This size home will be a welcome addition to the houses we can offer Kāinga Ora customers.

“The house that was on the site has now been demolished. It had meth contamination and was in a very bad state of repair.

“Too many whānau are living in a place that is not suitable for them. Overcrowded homes are a significant issue in Tairāwhiti. Larger, often intergenerational families, living in one home, are common in our Māori and Pacific communities.

“Therefore there is a real need for homes with four bedrooms or more to accommodate these whānau.”

The new, low-maintenance, two-storey homes will be fully insulated, with carpets, curtains and double glazing.