Report aims to address Auckland housing crisis
Auckland will keep building fewer houses than are needed, hurting the country’s economy and causing social pressures, unless the building industry can be given greater certainty, Auckland mayor Phil Goff says.
A housing task force, which met in February to discuss the city’s serious housing shortage, released its report on Monday.
Goff had asked the report to identify barriers to building more homes in Auckland and make recommendations to overcome those barriers.
In February, he said the city needed about 13,000 new houses each year but was consenting 10,000 and building just 7000.
Developers, builders, bankers, economists, architects and government officials had contributed to the task force.
The report’s three key recommendations, released on Monday, were ensuring development at a scale which included building through dips, unlocking land with appropriate zoning and infrastructure, and efficiency and innovation in consenting and risk management.
Goff said central and local government, as well as the construction industry, should now consider the recommendations.
‘‘Unless we address these problems, housing shortage and unaffordability in Auckland will not only continue to cause serious social pressures, but will also hold back Auckland’s and New Zealand’s economic growth.’’
Greater continuity and certainty was needed for building work, which would in turn allow the industry to scale up, the report said.
Policy was needed to help construction through economic dips, Goff said.
A shortage of funding for investment in the infrastructure needed for developments was also seen as a constraint.
Major infrastructure for 138,000 homes in new greenfield areas would cost $19 billion over the next 30 years, the report said.
‘‘The Auckland Unitary Plan has freed up land by zoning it for development.
‘‘However, for development to take place roading, water and community facilities need to be provided in order for the build to occur.’’
The Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund must play a role, Goff said, but the report suggested other revenue sources, such as road pricing or regional fuel taxes, were needed.