32336 (2025). Hon Kieran McAnulty to the Minister of Housing

32336 (2025). Hon Kieran McAnulty to the Minister of Housing: Further to his reply to Question 29612 (2025), were Blenheim and Christchurch considered priority locations when funding for new social houses was announced in Budget 2024 and if not, why were the first homes not delivered in priority locations?

Hon Chris Bishop: The priority locations for the first 500 new social housing places funded from Budget 24 were Gisborne and the wider Tairāwhiti region, Hamilton, Napier and Hastings, Rotorua, Tauranga, and at the time of allocation the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development also considered social housing projects in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington that directly supported a reduction in emergency housing. I am advised that the four homes delivered in Blenheim were funded given their advanced development as presenting opportunities and their alignment with maintaining momentum of social housing delivery nationally.