The estimated regional housing shortage was 8050, with Hamilton facing the largest deficit at 3000 houses.
The estimated regional housing shortage was 8050, with Hamilton facing the largest deficit at 3000 houses.
Waikato’s housing shortage has worsened significantly while demand for social housing has more than doubled in the past five years, according to a report commissioned by the region’s Mayoral Forum.
The Waikato Region Housing Initiative (WHI) released its first housing stocktake report in 2018. A recently released corresponding report for 2023 shows that despite an increase in houses built between 2018 and 2023, the region’s housing shortfall had increased from 7500 in 2018 to 8050 in 2023.
Demand for social housing had also risen with the shortfall jumping from 20% of available places in 2018 to 53% in 2023. That means social housing stock needs to rise by 53% to meet demand.
The report said housing affordability was an ongoing issue with house prices up 45% over the five-year period. In 2023, the median price was about $750,000 across the region.
In the latest report, the high scenario projections indicated a need for 61,500 additional homes in the Waikato region by 2043.
The recommendation in the updated report was to address the three “big rocks” highlighted in the introduction of the report: land, policy, and funding, “in a way that deliberately prioritises the provision of affordable housing”.
The report was presented to the Hauraki District Council on Wednesday which showed the district had a shortfall of 230 houses in 2023, down from 451 houses in 2018.
It was projected there would be a need for an extra 1357 houses in Hauraki by 2043. That was higher than the 2018 estimate of 1241 houses by 2043.
A 2023 Waikato Housing Initiative stocktake showing the current housing shortfall across the Waikato region.
If Hauraki was to have 1357 new houses in the district by 2043, that would be an annual average build rate of 68 new dwellings per year for the next 26 years.
From the 2018/19 year to 2023/24 there had been an annual average new build rate in the district of 86 dwellings and an average of 21 relocatable dwellings.
In 2023 there were 59 applicants on the social housing register in Hauraki, and there were 102 social houses (six less than 2018).
A 58% increase in the number of social houses would be needed to meet the demand.
The district’s housing needs, and future capacity would be assessed in more detail during a review of the council’s growth strategy, due to begin soon.
Hauraki mayor Toby Adams said there would always be a need for housing, and that he would be mindful of the report when reviewing the district’s growth strategy.
WHI is a cross-sector group working toward the vision: “Every person and every family in the Waikato region is well-housed, living in sustainable, flourishing and connected communities”, noted as a platform for collaboration, co-ordination, and leadership across the region.
An outcome sought by the WHI was to have regional housing data that clearly represented stock, demand, supply, cost and location of housing across the spectrum.
The social housing register was growing and purchasing and renting a home was becoming less affordable, the report said.
A predicted shortfall across the region in 2043 if current trends and predictions prove accurate.
There was hope that programmes like the Special Housing Areas and KiwiBuild would address at least some of the housing shortfall and alleviate housing stress.
The report noted the importance of planning for affordable suitable housing for a larger proportion of individuals aged over 65, living with a disability, or residing in a single person household.
Māori were over-represented in the social statistics.
An example of this was that in 2018 Māori represented approximately 20% of the Waikato population, but 46% of the Ministry for Social Development’s social housing waiting list and approximately 60% of Hamilton Christian Night Shelter guests.
A summary showed an additional 20,000 new homes had been constructed in the Waikato region since the 2018 census; the highest level since the 2006 census.
Despite this, in 2023 the estimated regional housing shortage was 8050, with Hamilton facing the largest deficit at 3000 houses.
Despite the increase of 600 social houses since 2018, the housing register increased from approximately 900 applicants in 2018 to 2700 in 2023.
