Smaller state houses needed for Chch

Christchurch needs social housing for singles and solo parents to address dire post-earthquake shortages, the Government says.

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) said in its purchasing intentions 2015 report, housing affordability in Christchurch was expected to ‘‘worsen’’ over the next three years.

People with housing needs would ‘‘increase substantially’’, it said.

To met social housing need, 250 onebedroom, 110 two-bedroom and 80 fourbedroom and larger homes were required to be purchased over the next two to three years, through community housing providers, the report said.

‘‘There are still too many New Zealanders who aren’t able to get the level of support they need,’’ it said.

The city has been gripped in a housing crisis since the earthquakes, with health and social agencies saying it is the most dire issue facing people.

An MSD spokesman said it was up to providers how they sourced more one and two-bedroom properties. For example, providers may build these properties or lease them.

The MSD report analysed the state housing register list and benefit types to understand the purchasing requirements for Christchurch.

Of those on the register, 216 were singles and 196 solo parents, the report said.

Overcrowded homes led the top five reasons people were on the register with 120 applicants, followed by financial, 102, health, 80, tenancy termination, 75, and homelessness, 64.

Previous research by Christchurch social service agency Te Whare Roimata, with the Canterbury Anglican Diocese social justice unit, said about 300 low-cost bedsits were decimated in the quakes, leaving a huge gap for singles on low incomes.

Community development worker Jenny Smith said there was a sector of social housing need not on MSD’s register.

The register may not fully reflect the full social housing picture or replace the bedsit population, she said.

‘‘My sense would be there is another group of people who are poorer, living rough who are not even going to Work and Income to get on the state housing register.’’

Smith said there was a large group of single older people in private rentals, who may end up needing social housing as their rents had increased following earthquake repair work.

The report said few were leaving social housing to move into the private market and there was high demand for long-term social housing.

Social housing provider Christchurch Methodist Mission said the report was a helpful guide to what the Government would pay Income Related Rent Subsidy for.