Opinion: Census 2018 shows Government must take action on housing

Census figures show the Bay of Plenty is the second-fastest-growing region in New Zealand.

COMMENT:

Local and central Government authorities have a tall task ahead after the release of the first batch of statistics from the 2018 Census.

In the editorial side of NZME's Rotorua office more than half of the staff have moved to the city since the last Census. We all contributed to the 10.1 per cent population increase since 2013.

The same goes for the editorial team in Tauranga where the population grew 19.1 per cent.

As a whole, the Bay of Plenty is the second-fastest growing region in New Zealand.

Yet houses aren't keeping up. As a result the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development paid $3.3 million to emergency housing providers in Rotorua and $1m in Tauranga between April and June this year.

We've seen house prices steadily rise. In 12 months, median house values rose 17.6 per cent in Victoria and Fairy Springs. In the same period median house values rose 11.2 per cent in Gate Pā.

It's getting harder to buy your first home. In fact, the number of houses on the market is also making it harder to buy your second and third.

For people who can't or don't want to buy, the rental pool is also becoming more competitive as more people move to these cities.

OneRoof, as of Monday, had just six properties listed for rent in Tauranga and two for sale. In Rotorua, there are 27 for rent and 145 for sale.

It's great our regions are growing, but we need the housing to cater to that growth.

Last week Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick hit out at the Government calling its housing decisions "baffling".

It followed Housing Minister Megan Woods' decision to reject the council's Special Housing Area application for 80 affordable houses at Ngongotahā.

In Tauranga, a social housing provider is hoping to replace 140 former state homes in Gate Pā with more than 400 new townhouses and apartments.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick hit out at the Government calling its housing decisions "baffling".

The project needs to work in partnership with and is seeking investment from the Government, developers, iwi and other stakeholders.

If the Government needed a reason to invest, this is it.

Tauranga and Rotorua are growing, and now we have the figures to prove it.

This needs to create urgency. The Government must take notice.