About us
Outcome 1
Where the Corporation has a significant influence, people will have access to decent, affordable housing.
What is the Corporation seeking to achieve?
The Corporation's direct relationship with applicants and tenants gives it a significant influence on their housing choices, including access to other housing options and services.
Where it has a significant influence, the Corporation aims to provide:
- housing to those in greatest need
- well maintained, safe, healthy and energyefficient homes
- houses that meet the needs of tenant households, including a variety of large and small house types and sizes, and proximity to amenities and employment
- support for our customers to make sound housing choices
- opportunities for affordable home ownership.
Why is this outcome a priority for the Corporation?
Most New Zealanders meet their own housing needs. Others face temporary or permanent barriers to finding safe, secure and sustainable housing. It is this group that is the focus of the Corporation's involvement as a landlord.
Housing quality is an issue for the Corporation. The social housing portfolio is ageing, with the majority built before 1978, and most not up to modern standards. Poorly maintained housing will reduce the impact of other government and community agency interventions to improve social and economic well-being.
What will the Corporation do to achieve this outcome?
Priority: Improving housing affordability for low- to middle-income earners
Achieving home ownership is a challenge facing many New Zealanders. This priority recognises the contribution the Corporation can make to create opportunities for affordable home ownership.
The Corporation's role in supporting home ownership is evolving. It has developed a number of programmes to improve access to finance, and build the skills and knowledge needed to buy and maintain a home. The Corporation is expanding its role to deliver home ownership through the development of Corporation and Crown land.
| To achieve this priority, the Corporation will: | This priority will be delivered under: |
| Develop and implement the Gateway Housing Initiative on Corporation and Crown-owned land to provide affordable home ownership opportunities (including Hobsonville) | Output Class 3 Policy Advice Output Class 4 Financial Assistance - Housing: Output Co-ownership Arrangements Output Class 5 Property Management Agency Services: Output Housing Development Project - Hobsonville (Crown) |
| Implement sales of state houses to tenants | State Housing Portfolio - Divesting Properties (Corporation) |
| Revise policy and operation of housing on multiple-owned Maori land | Output Class 4 Financial Assistance - Housing: Output Loans and Grants |
| Improve substandard owner-occupied housing, including housing in remote rural Maori communities | Output Class 4 Financial Assistance - Housing: Output Loans and Grants |
| Work with the Department of Building and Housing to identify housing supply issues, and make proposals to improve housing affordability, supply and urban development | Output Class 3 Policy Advice |
Priority: Upgrade state housing stock to a decent standard
This priority relates to the Corporation's role in managing the overall state housing portfolio. The Corporation manages more than 69,000 houses across New Zealand, valued at $15.1 billion. The cost of upgrading the current housing portfolio is estimated at $2 billion, reflecting a significant deferral of upgrades over recent years.
Many state houses need significant upgrading to reflect a modest but reasonably current standard so that homes are suitable for modern-day living, bringing the Corporation portfolio up to a reasonable standard.
Accelerated investment in upgrading an ageing portfolio is critical to the Corporation providing warm, well ventilated, energy-efficient homes that meet the Corporation's stewardship obligations while also providing work opportunities in the housing sector. The Corporation has funding for additional upgrades in 2009/10 as part of the Government's Jobs and Growth Plan.
The Government's expectation is that the Corporation will balance the continued upgrade of current housing stock with acquiring additional houses in high need areas, and making better use of larger houses and underutilised sections.
The Corporation is accelerating upgrade activity over 2008/09 and into 2009/10. By the end of 2009/10, about 28 percent of the housing portfolio will have had some form of upgrade in the preceding 2 years.
The increased level of upgrades in 2009/10 will reduce but not eliminate the total upgrade backlog. Energy efficiency retrofits, however, will be completed in 2013.
An estimated 1,000 houses will be added to the portfolio over the 3 years to 2011/12. The Corporation is forecast to build or develop 1,020 houses, sell or demolish 887 and lease another 867 houses. Leasing will meet the gap between houses sold and acquisitions, as sales proceeds will not be sufficient to buy replacement houses.
| To achieve this priority, the Corporation will: | This priority will be delivered under: |
| Accelerate the upgrade of the housing stock with an emphasis on insulation, ventilation and energy efficiency | State Housing Portfolio - Upgrading Existing Properties (Corporation) |
| Deliver additional stock in high-need areas (such as South Auckland) | State Housing Portfolio - Adding to the Housing Portfolio (Corporation) |
| Better utilise state houses, including redeveloping sections to better match housing to the tenant profile, disposing of high-value properties and reinvesting proceeds, and reducing the housing stock in areas of low need | State Housing Portfolio - Adding to the Housing Portfolio (Corporation); Divesting Properties (Corporation); Housing Redevelopment Projects (Corporation) |
Priority: Developing a Housing Options and Advice Service
The Corporation's core role is to provide state housing and housing services to those in the greatest need. The Corporation's direct contact with tenants and applicants also provides an opportunity to link them with agencies and services they may otherwise may not be aware of or consider contacting.
With more than 69,000 tenancies, Corporation tenants have a variety of needs and abilities to function in the private housing market. Many households may require ongoing assistance from the Corporation, but equally other households may be able to move into the private sector as their circumstances improve.
The Corporation will develop a Housing Options and Advice Service to help tenants who are able to do so to move into the private sector or to buy their own home.
The Corporation will also continue to work with tenants whose housing needs have changed over time, to find a house that better matches their current needs. Overall, this Service will maximise tenant and applicant outcomes, as well as enabling the Corporation to house those in the greatest need.
| To achieve this priority, the Corporation will: | This priority will be delivered under: |
| Deliver an extended advisory service to applicants and tenants on housing options (state housing, private renting and home ownership) available across the housing sector, including options for low-priority applicants in the private sector and more appropriate housing for those who may benefit from non-housing support | Output Class 1 Advisory Services: Output Advisory Services - Housing Options |
| Improve the customer focus for its applicant and tenancy management services so that houses are allocated to those most in need and improve the ongoing tenancy relationship with households | Output Class 1 Advisory Services: Output Advisory Services - Housing Options Output Class 2 State House Tenancies: Output Tenancy Management |
| Measure and then increase the effectiveness of service delivery to Māori |
Output Class 1 Advisory Services: |
