The Government has hit a major milestone with the successful delivery of over 12,000 additional public homes since October 2017, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced.

'Our fast pace of delivery on public housing means on a yearly basis, this Labour Government is delivering the most public homes since the second Labour Government in the 1950s,” says Hipkins.

'One in seven of all public homes in New Zealand have now been delivered by this Government.

'This is an impressive achievement, even more so when you consider that nearly ten thousand of them are brand new, warm dry homes."

Hipkins says their building programme has supported the Nz economy in recent years, with 22,000 people involved in the building programme.

'Our public home building programme is a key example of delivery for the Government. It has provided warm healthy homes, created jobs, and supported our economy over recent years.

'In just six years we have rebuilt the public housing stock after National left New Zealand with 1,500 fewer public homes than it started with, and failed to invest in new ones,” says Housing Minister Megan Woods.

'The extraordinary pace of delivery from both Kāinga Ora and community housing providers under this Government is evident in communities across New Zealand. Every region of New Zealand has more public homes than when we became the Government.

'From refreshed neighbourhoods like Mangere and Mt Roskill in Auckland to areas like Palmerston North and Invercargill that are getting more public homes for the first time in many years, we are delivering much-needed public housing."

Woods says the new builds meet the Government's Healthy Home Standards for insulation, heating and ventilation.

"By July 2024 it's expected that all public housing will meet the standards.

'In addition to public homes, we've also delivered over 4,000 transitional homes with wrap-around social and health services.

'Public housing is a vital part of our social support system that provides people at risk of homelessness or overcrowded housing with a stable and affordable place to live. This is not just about meeting the cost of a physical home, but also the ongoing rent support for people in public housing.

'Our deep commitment to public housing extends beyond the 18,000 public and transitional houses that will be delivered by the end of 2024, with Budget 2023 adding another 3,000 public homes by June 2025."

Woods plans to shortly release an updated Public Housing Plan for these extra 3,000 homes that will focus on increasing public housing in regions with high need.