14076 (2026). Tamatha Paul to the Minister of Housing

14076 (2026). Tamatha Paul to the Minister of Housing: When and why did Kāinga Ora decide to stop tracking the proportion of newly constructed homes that meet the Full Universal Design standard?

Hon Chris Bishop: Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities advises me that it ceased tracking this information from July 2025 as the requirement to formally report against the 15 percent target of eligible newly constructed social homes that met Full Universal Design standards was discontinued in the Kāinga Ora 2025/26 Statement of Performance Expectations. Kāinga Ora includes universal design features in all its new build homes where simple and cost effective to do so. These features improve usability and functionality for all customers, for example lever-style door handles, safe stair design, slightly wider corridors and doors, and placement of light-switches and power points for ease of use. These features are embedded into all of Kāinga Ora standard home designs and have been part of its standards for over 10 years. Kāinga Ora also has a number of standard house designs with a main bedroom and full bathroom on the same level as the living space, in addition to standard universal design features. These homes, classified as "Full Universal Design", are delivered where location, site, typology, and build cost allows. These homes may be suitable for tenants with mild disability needs (by allowing all daily activities to occur on one level) but would need to be adapted to meet more complex needs. Funding for adaptations to meet more complex needs is typically provided by the Ministry of Social Development or ACC.