Great Barrier Local Board has taken an important step towards finding solutions for the housing crisis on the island.
The board hosted a roundtable discussion at the Auckland Town Hall recently, bringing together a panel of experts to speak about social and affordable housing and co-housing.
Housing is a great concern on the island and problems range from the lack of rentals and available land to rising property prices meaning houses are out of reach for many.
Speakers from the Housing Foundation, the Waiheke Housing Trust and Vision West spoke to the board about their successes in the field.
Jazmax principal architect James Whetter and TPK regional manager Marty Rogers also shared their thoughts.
The board wanted to come away with a better understanding of housing models that might work for the island as well as an idea of the kinds of further research required.
Board chair Izzy Fordham said the meeting was an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding.
“It was a very productive and informative roundtable and we really appreciated people taking to the time out to share their experience with us,” she said.
She said there was no one size fits all solution when it came to housing.
The next step for the board is to begin holding discussions on the appropriate housing models and housing assistance and projects that might work on Great Barrier.
The housing issue on Great Barrier, just as in the rest of the country, would only become more acute if nothing was done, Fordham said.
