Applications have opened for the first round of the Government’s Flexible Fund, which is set to pave the way for up to 770 new social homes and affordable rentals for New Zealanders in high housing need.
Housing Minister, Chris Bishop said the Fund has been established last year to replace the “confusing patchwork” of social and affordable housing programmes with a single, contestable fund focused on delivering the right homes, in the right places for the people who need them most.
“Our Government believes in social housing. For families and individuals who are struggling to find a stable, secure place to live, we’re focused on turning housing need into real homes,” Mr Bishop says.
He said the new system uses detailed data and local insights to identify where housing need is highest and which types of homes are required.
“This allows providers to bring forward solutions that best meet local demand. Instead of forcing good ideas into rigid categories, we can support interventions that target need and offer strong value for money.”
“Opening the Flexible Fund for applications today marks the next phase of our targeted investment in social housing and affordable rentals.
“Affordable rentals allow people to pay less than the market rent in a region. They are a missing link in the social housing system. There should be an intermediate option between traditional social housing, where people usually pay 25% of their income, and market rentals.”
The Minister said the Fund’s focus was on value for money, strong housing delivery partners, and ensuring public investment provides homes for as many people as possible.
It will support delivery in priority locations including the Far North, South Auckland, Eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne–Tairāwhiti, Hastings, and key main centres such as Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch.
“This is about disciplined investment. We want warm, dry, safe homes that meet local need and can be delivered on time and within budget,” said Associate Housing Minister, Tama Potaka.
“For many whānau, housing security is the foundation for better health, education and employment outcomes. Iwi providers are often best placed to respond to that need because they understand their communities and the pressures they face. The Flexible Fund gives them a clear pathway to partner with the Government to deliver warm, safe homes that support long-term stability for whānau.”
Stage one applications open today and close on 24 April.
Further details are available on the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development website www.hud.govt.nz and on Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS).
