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Housing Crisis stories

Rotorua emergency housing drops to one motel as crisis-era numbers collapse
Ministry of Social Development

Rotorua emergency housing drops to one motel as crisis-era numbers collapse

Emergency housing demand has fallen sharply in Rotorua, leaving just one motel supporting about a dozen households after more than 600 at the 2020/21 peak.

By Mathew Nash • 3 min read • 3 days ago
'Fill them with laughter': Ngāti Awa opens more homes on Māori land
Māori

'Fill them with laughter': Ngāti Awa opens more homes on Māori land

Sixteen affordable rentals near Whakatāne will give Ngāti Awa whānau a foothold on Māori land, with 16 more homes due next year.

By Diane McCarthy • 5 min read • Last week
Kāinga Ora urged to halt pre-election sale of empty Wellington state houses
City Mission

Kāinga Ora urged to halt pre-election sale of empty Wellington state houses

Housing groups say the move could leave Wellington's public-housing shortage worse, as more than 600 households wait for a home.

By Ellen O'Dwyer • 3 min read • Last week
No regulations on too-hot homes likely until 2031
Urban Planning

No regulations on too-hot homes likely until 2031

Thousands of new homeowners face another decade of sweltering summers, with overheating rules for the Building Code pushed back to 2031.

By Kate Newton • 6 min read • Last month
Labour pledges $4 billion for state houses, school repairs and hospitals
Schools

Labour pledges $4 billion for state houses, school repairs and hospitals

Unemployment at an 11-year high is driving Labour's plan to spend more than GBP £4 billion on jobs and public repairs.

By Lillian Hanly • 2 min read • Last month
Gisborne housing plan change: 35 of 859 submission points misclassified
Urban Planning

Gisborne housing plan change: 35 of 859 submission points misclassified

Errors in Gisborne District Council's housing plan summary have forced a limited reopening of submissions on proposed medium-density zoning changes.

By Imogen Brophy • 3 min read • Last month
Property investors relieved at Labour's landlord tax deduction promise
Real estate

Property investors relieved at Labour's landlord tax deduction promise

The move is likely to keep rents steadier and has eased fears investors would face higher costs under Labour's tax plan.

By Giles Dexter • 5 min read • Last month
Auckland CBD height limits could be scrapped
Real estate

Auckland CBD height limits could be scrapped

The proposal could unlock 17,000 extra homes in Auckland's city centre while leaving viewshafts, sunlight and heritage rules intact.

By RNZ • 2 min read • Last month
More than 650 properties under investigation in Mackenzie
Urban Planning

More than 650 properties under investigation in Mackenzie

Fears over housing pressure have prompted the Mackenzie District Council to inspect 655 short-term accommodation properties for rule breaches.

By Claire Taylor • 3 min read • Last month
Architecture doesn't need AI to transform it; it needs AI to make it calmer
Digital Transformation

Architecture doesn't need AI to transform it; it needs AI to make it calmer

Routine design admin is where AI is already easing pressure on architects, leaving more time for judgement, care and client work.

By Brad Sara • 5 min read • Wed, 26th Aug 2026
Aussie model could get Kiwis into homes faster
Real estate

Aussie model could get Kiwis into homes faster

Developers are getting finance sooner as the scheme unlocks construction on more than 540 homes, with a further 300 in Sydney due to start.

By Staff Writer • 4 min read • Sat, 18th Apr 2026
Propopoly wins FMA nod for tokenised NZ housing push
Fintech

Propopoly wins FMA nod for tokenised NZ housing push

Propopoly secures FMA guidance to launch a tokenised housing platform, offering Kiwis fractional stakes in new-build projects nationwide.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Mon, 9th Mar 2026

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Gen Z investing confidence gap hits young Australians
Fintech

Gen Z investing confidence gap hits young Australians

Only 5 per cent of 15-to-24-year-olds feel confident investing, as new research shows most young Australians want help starting.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Wed, 27th May 2026
Civica partners with Enterprise AI on council planning
Smart Cities

Civica partners with Enterprise AI on council planning

Councils facing housing approval backlogs could cut assessment time by 20% as the software is embedded into existing workflows.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Wed, 27th May 2026
Light House launches Bluprint for sustainable construction
Real estate

Light House launches Bluprint for sustainable construction

The programme aims to help greener building technologies win repeat work in Canada's USD $50 billion sustainable construction market.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Tue, 12th May 2026
HousingAI appoints Phil Shelton ahead of England launch
Hyperscale

HousingAI appoints Phil Shelton ahead of England launch

It aims to help landlords and local authorities apply housing rules consistently as regulatory scrutiny over decision-making intensifies.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Thu, 16th Apr 2026
Boman Group appoints China expert to advisory board
Risk & Compliance

Boman Group appoints China expert to advisory board

Boman Group appoints China specialist Professor Charles Qin to its advisory board as it expands cross-border investment across the region.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Thu, 12th Feb 2026