Tackling Auckland's housing shortage

Freeing up more than 1000ha of land for housing – enough for around 12,000 new homes – is one of the steps Auckland Council is taking to tackle the city’s housing shortage.

Applications have recently been accepted to rezone land for residential development in several special housing areas (SHAs), including Flat Bush and Hingaia, and hearings are scheduled for Scott Point and Huapai.

Franklin precinct has been approved, providing for up to 5500 homes. In total, these areas allow for a potential 12,300 new dwellings, reducing Auckland’s housing shortage.

Boosting the supply of new homes and sections through these SHAs is one of the ways the council is working to improve Auckland’s housing issues.

Auckland Council Chief Economist Chris Parker wrote an article in the New Zealand Herald recently about other ways the council is working to increase housing supply. These include:

• ensuring at least seven years’ worth of land is available for new housing at all times
• encouraging intensification in areas with good transport connectivity
• plans to provide a housing bond guarantee so community housing providers can build more affordable homes. 

Other factors contributing to Auckland’s housing issues are beyond the council’s control, says Chris Parker.

These factors are mostly on the demand side, and include the high rate of immigration, ready access to cheap money and subdued growth in the residential construction industry.

Solutions to these challenges will require action from the central government as well as the council, the development sector and the community.

Residential development to boost housing supply

Applications include: