Social housing demand increasing

A sharp increase in the number of Kiwis seeking social housing is because more people now know about the support available to them, Prime Minister John Key says.

Labour has rubbished the Government’s comments, saying the increase is due to ‘‘the worst homelessness in living memory’’.

New figures from the Ministry of Social Development’s housing register show that 4602 people were waiting to move into social housing at the end of September up nearly 19 per cent on three months earlier, and 35 per cent from the same time in 2015.

Key said the increase was due in part to the Government’s messages about the support that was available to those in need of

"Only a tiny percentage of the people who are desperate to get a state house can even get on the register." Labour MP Phil Twyford

housing. ’’People have actually responded to the fact when I said, ‘Look if you have an issue go to Work and Income’, because people have actually reached out to Work and Income and that’s seen more people registering - that’s a good thing.’’ However, Key acknowledged that rising rents and rising house prices were also to blame, and said the Government had been putting more money into emergency and social housing.

‘‘There’s simply a greater demand ... I’m confident we can get on top of the issue but there’s clearly more people on that list,’’ he said.

Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett agreed, saying advice ‘‘from the front line’’ was that more people were now aware they could come forward for help.

More than 6000 people on the housing register had been put into homes this year, and more needed to be done, Bennett said.

‘‘That’s my focus - making sure that those that need it can get it, and every week we’re trying to house more people, free up more of the vacant homes quicker, and make sure they’re available for those in need,’’ she said.

Labour housing spokesman Phil Twyford said it was ‘‘deeply cynical’’ for the Government to claim the increase was due to greater knowledge of government support.

It was in fact because of ‘‘the worst homelessness in living memory’’.

‘‘Lack of information is not the problem, and it never ever has been - the problem is that there is an acute shortage of affordable housing.’’

The housing crisis had ‘‘spun out of control’’ under the Government, meaning many Kiwis could not afford a rental of their own, Twyford said.

‘‘There are so many people who simply can’t find affordable rental housing and they are desperate to get on the register, and the really sad thing is that only a tiny percentage of the people who are desperate to get a state house can even get on the register.’’