More state houses, rent-to-buy schemes, and home deposit assistance are among new Government initiatives to help home ownership in the next decade.
The New Zealand Housing strategy will be announced today and maps out how Government will provide affordable, quality housing for all New Zealanders.
The strategy marks raising rates of home ownership as one of its key goals in the next two years.
Home ownership rates are dropping, but particularly in the 20 to 30 age bracket, with almost 60,000 fewer people in this age group owning their own home now than 10 years ago. The latest figures show home ownership is expected to fall to 62 per cent of the population by 2011, down from 73% in 1986.
The plan also targets disadvantaged groups in the housing market such as single women, the elderly, disabled and ethnic groups.
The main planks of the strategy are:
Social commentators were reluctant yesterday to give the initiative their stamp of approval without seeing a clear action plan.
Social policy researcher Charles Waldegrave said the report was exciting, but he was not convinced the Government was committed to following it through. 'It's a really good direction, but the one question about it is, have they gone far enough? And my feeling is they could have been a little more bold. It's not a 10-year plan. It's a statement of intent.'
Housing Minister Steve Maharey said the Government would not return to being a majority home provider, but would instead provide incentives for community groups such as local iwi and churches to build affordable rental properties.
'There's a group of people for whom the step is too big. We are becoming a housing market like housing markets in Europe. As a result the policies need to be more complex,' he said.
People were also being encouraged to move into housing that suited their needs, he said. 'This is the first time we have had a strategy in New Zealand which sets out a vision for housing over the long term,' Maharey said.
Salvation Army social policy director Major Campbell Roberts said the plan would make it easier for low-income earners to buy a house in 10 years, but it lacked a plan of action.
'I don't think it's time to breathe a sigh of relief. I would like to see more detail of how the plans are going to be implemented,' he said.
'It would be fatal if this became a document that was forgotten about.'
The plan would not stop house prices from rocketing up, but it would ensure a wide range of options for the low income house buyer.
House prices were determined by factors such as immigration and investment levels which were out of Government control, he said.
The strategy emphasised a need for a range of housing options between private and state ownership.
Housing New Zealand chief executive Helen Fulcher said the house of the future would be distinctly different.
'Homes of the future will be expected to perform better, cost less to maintain and live in, and be more adaptable to the changing needs of their occupants. In many cases they won't look like the traditional Kiwi bungalow, as apartments and townhouses become more common,' she said.
'There will need to be more houses for large and extended families, where smaller families are also wanting more space,' Fulcher said.
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