Shocked residents of a quiet Porirua street are reeling after the grisly discovery of a neighbour's decomposing body weeks after he died on the floor of his home.

An Auckland woman who says her damp and mouldy state house caused her boy's medical woes has been offered alternative temporary accommodation.

More than 2000 state houses have been upgraded after a coroner found damp and cold conditions may have contributed to a South Auckland toddler's death.

People on the state house waiting list who turn down houses offered to them will be moved down the list, says the government.

"I think it goes against the New Zealand way when you target one ethnic group and say they're the problem, " says Housing Minister Nick Smith.

One of NZ's biggest off-site housing manufacturers is now in liquidation, but creditors have hope of getting paid.

Nearly half of the state houses assessed in a warrant of fitness trial were classed as "high risk" and in need of urgent repair, a new report shows.

A long-term contract to inspect all state houses for potential risks to health and safety was axed the year before two Auckland tenants died last winter.

Protected views of volcanoes are threatening Auckland's goals of affordable housing and a compact city, major property owners say.

Bill English's willingness to allow a foreign housing provider to buy NZ state houses veers close to allowing blind ideology to get the better of common sense, says John Armstrong.

An Australian housing provider that is considering buying state houses here could use any money generated on projects across the Ditch, Prime Minister John Key says.

If Housing NZ has its way, no one will be able to easily say 'that's state housing' - see its latest plans for new Auckland homes.

Labour leader Andrew Little says there is no rational explanation for the Government's allowing an Australian housing provider to buy up to 500 state houses as part of housing reforms.

Families in urgent need of a state house are waiting twice as long compared to 18 months ago, Labour says.

Anger is building about the poor condition of rental properties in New Zealand writes Dr Bryce Edwards.

A Whangarei woman with chronic asthma was admitted to intensive care at least four times while living in a mouldy, damp Housing New Zealand property.

Just over two years ago, Housing Minister Nick Smith announced that "this year" the Government was developing a housing warrant of fitness, writes Brian Rudman.

Cold, damp housing is a significant issue facing children, with a paediatrician calling for more to be done to change the culture of accepting unfit houses.

Q: I'm a single guy looking to use KiwiSaver to buy my first home. I've been a member for 7 years. Is it correct the Govt will give me an additional $10k for my first home?

Housing New Zealand paid an investment banker $1.6 million to help it sell state houses, official documents show.

The Labour Party said it would have another shot at getting a "healthy homes bill" passed.

Children are more likely to be in material hardship relative to the rest of the population in New Zealand than in any European country.

31 former state houses bought for the Waterview motorway project are being sold on the open market because Housing New Zealand no longer wants them.

There's been a few changes to KiwiSaver affecting first home buyers - and it's mostly good news.

Getting a state house is currently just a "lottery" for tenants, Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

Housing NZ has had to take on more staff just to distribute new home subsidy grants to keep up with demand.

Mt Albert residents who feared an 80-unit Housing NZ scheme in their neighbourhood have been told of much smaller plans.

A big state-owned site in Auckland once earmarked for social and affordable housing is being carved up for sale.