Government cancels grants to move out of Auckland

  • 18/12/2017
Those on the social housing wait list can no longer apply for a grant  to move out of Auckland city.
Those on the social housing wait list can no longer apply for a grant to move out of Auckland city. Photo credit: Getty

Grants to encourage people to move out of Auckland due to the housing crisis will be cut by the Government.

Housing Minister Phil Twyford says the grants weren't helping the problem, but were putting more pressure on other parts of New Zealand.

The scheme was introduced by the previous National Government in 2016 - those in social housing or on the social housing wait list could apply for a grant of up to $5000 to move out of Auckland city.

But the Government will stop giving out the grants from January 15.

"Since the Relocation from Auckland Assistance was introduced in June 2016, there has been an across-the-board increase in the demand for public and private housing, especially in regions and towns close to Auckland," Mr Twyford said.

He called the scheme a "rushed and piecemeal" response to the growing number of homeless people in Auckland.

"The Coalition Government has a broad housing reform agenda, which will increase the public housing stock throughout New Zealand. We will build thousands of new state houses, and increase emergency and transitional housing."

He said the KiwiBuild policy to build 100,000 affordable homes in 10 years would also help take people off the state housing waitlist.

Newshub.