Housing Crisis Shifting to Regional New Zealand

A new Salvation Army report, Home Truths: What Recent Data on New Zealand’s Housing is Telling Us, warns that housing pressures are increasingly being felt in regional communities. While Aotearoa New Zealand’s housing stock grew by 9.1 percent between 2021 and 2026, housing poverty, overcrowding and demand for social housing remain significant concerns. The report found rents rising sharply in regions including Gisborne, Southland and the West Coast, while social housing waiting lists are particularly acute in Northland and Bay of Plenty. The author of the report, Alan Johnson, says the findings show that Aotearoa needs targeted regional housing solutions, not simply more houses.

Download the full report at salvationarmy.org.nz/HomeTruths