Housing New Zealand Corporation

Introduction

Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) plays a significant role within the housing sector. We are New Zealand’s largest landlord, managing a rental housing portfolio of about 66,000 homes. We provide research and policy advice to inform Government housing policy, support the building of third sector capability to expand the provision of social housing and assist people into home ownership.

Access to quality housing contributes to the social and physical health of individuals and communities. HNZC research in 2002, in preparation for the New Zealand Housing Strategy, found there was not enough choice in accessible housing for people with mobility and sensory difficulties. Disabled households also often have lower than average incomes and therefore face housing affordability issues.

Mobility and agility disability issues also have an impact on the housing needs of older people. Disability rates increase with age and the proportion of the New Zealand population aged 65 plus is projected to increase considerably in the next decade and onward. Consequently the number of people with disabilities will increase. This will create greater demand for modified or “accessible” housing.

HNZC is addressing these issues through a broad range of products, services and new initiatives. The majority of these services such as our Suitable Homes and Case Management Services are considered ‘business as usual’ and are an ongoing part of what we do. This plan outlines the new activities HNZC will undertake this year in addition to business as usual to help improve access for disabled people to housing that is appropriate to their needs.

Reading the HNZC Implementation Plan

The HNZC New Zealand Disability Strategy Implementation Plan is divided into six key work-stream and business group headings. Each of these will outline:

• the desired outcomes
• a description of the work-stream or business group’s purpose
• the measures we will use to indicate our progress towards achieving these outcomes and any applicable timeframes, and
• linkages to the New Zealand Disability Strategy objectives and actions.

1. Proposed New Zealand Housing Strategy (NZHS)

Desired Outcome

• A strategic approach to address unmet housing need among disadvantaged and/or disabled groups
• A reduction in the incidence of poor quality housing, especially in relation to disabled Māori and Pacific Peoples.

Description

Building the Future: The New Zealand Housing Strategy was launched on 6 May 2005. It outlines a range of proposed actions for further consideration to address the housing issues of diverse groups, including the disabled.

Access to affordable and suitable housing is a key issue for many disabled people. The disabled are more likely to have low incomes and affordability issues can limit the housing options open to them. They may also have health, support and social needs that are not necessarily well met by the market.

The NZHS sets out a programme of action to guide the direction of the entire housing sector over the next ten years and is aligned with social, economic and environmental sector strategies (including the New Zealand Disability Strategy), and key government goals. Within its areas of competency, the Corporation will continue to give effect to the Government’s 2005/06 priority initiatives for addressing the needs of the disabled.

Outcome Measures and Timeframes

During 2005/06 HNZC will:

• develop (with the Department of Building and Housing and the Ministry of Health) a housing work programme to meet the needs of disabled people and those with mental illness, consistent with the provisions of such documents as the NZ Disability Strategy, the Mental Health Blueprint and the Second National Mental Health Plan.
• develop a housing work programme to meet the needs of older people with the Department of Building and Housing and the Office for Senior Citizens, consistent with the Positive Ageing Strategy.

Linkage to the New Zealand Disability Strategy

Objective	Action
Encourage and educate for a non-disabling society	1.5.
Foster leadership by disabled people	5.1.
Foster an aware and responsive public service	6.1.
Support quality living in the community for disabled people	8.1.
Promote participation of disabled Māori	11.1.
Promote participation of disabled Pacific Peoples	12.1.
Enable disabled children and youth to lead full and active lives	13.2., 13.4., 13.10
Promote participation of disabled women in order to improve their quality of life	14.5.

2. Housing Services

Desired Outcomes

• Further contributions to the provision of adequate, affordable, suitable, and sustainable housing for disabled people in housing need,
• Ensuring the accessibility and suitability of HNZC premises for disabled people.

Description

HNZC allocates state rentals according to housing need and provides an income-related rent for most tenants. The Social Allocation and Income-Related Rent (IRR) policies represent our primary interventions to assist disabled people in housing need.

However, this year HNZC will also complete regional profiles that build a detailed picture of housing need, including those of disabled people, within communities. The information gained will be fundamental to informing and guiding our future housing responses and service delivery.

Outcome Measures and Timeframes

During 2005/06 HNZC will:

• increase its housing stock by 1,019 homes during 2005/06 to help meet the demand for affordable social housing, particularly in Auckland
• complete regional profiles by August 2005 that build a detailed picture of housing need, including those of disabled people, within communities

Linkage to the New Zealand Disability Strategy

Objective	Action
Support quality living in the community for disabled people	8.1, 8.3.
Foster an aware and responsive public service	6.6.
Enable disabled children and youth to lead full and active lives	13.8.
Promote participation of disabled women in order to improve their quality of life	14.3.

3. Housing Innovations

Desired Outcome

• The development of sustainable partnerships with relevant service providers.
• Adequate and suitable housing that meets the housing needs of HNZC tenants assisted by the Community Group Housing (CGH) service and providers.

Description

HNZC works in partnership with a wide range of groups (iwi, Māori, Pacific Peoples, NGOs, and private sector groups including the disabled) and others to deliver a greater range of housing options appropriate to the needs of disadvantaged and/or disabled persons.

Outcome Measures and Timeframes

During 2005/06 HNZC will:

• provide Housing Innovation Fund support to third sector development through capacity building and demonstration housing projects throughout 2005/06
• further increase community housing stock by 80 homes this year
• provide approximately 16 units for former Kimberley residents to support their de-institutionalisation
• implement the Housing Rent Support Scheme to work with CGH customers and their service funders to identify and address affordability issues. This will include building relationships with funding organisations to better co-ordinate and respond to demand for housing

Linkage to the New Zealand Disability Strategy

Objective	Action
Ensure rights for disabled people	2.6.
Foster an aware and responsive public service	6.7.
Support quality living in the community for disabled people	8.1 and 8.4.
Create long-term support systems centred on the individual	7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8 and 7.9.
Enable disabled children and youth to lead full and active lives	13.8.
Promote participation of disabled women in order to improve their quality of life	14.3.

4. Research

Desired Outcomes

• Research that is targeted at priority policy initiatives and where appropriate responds to the needs of disabled people.

Description

HNZC has a Research and Evaluation business unit focusing on the research needs of the Corporation and the independent Centre for Housing Research, Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ) that focuses on the information needs of the wider housing sector.

On 6 May 2005 CHRANZ released its scoping research Housing Choices for Disabled New Zealanders. The aim of this project was to identify a set of housing research projects that address the key issues identified as impacting on housing choices for disabled New Zealanders.

Outcome Measures and Timeframes

During 2005/06 HNZC will:

• develop and prioritise the CHRANZ research agenda for 2005/06 based on the scoping research Housing Choices for Disabled New Zealanders and
• undertake any research into the needs of disabled people that may arise from The New Zealand Housing Strategy

Linkage to the New Zealand Disability Strategy

Objective	Action
Collect and use relevant information about disabled people and disability issues	10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5 and 10.6.

5. Accessibility of Publications/Information

Desired Outcomes

• Disabled people can access HNZC publications/information and can navigate the HNZC website independently.

Description

HNZC continues to work to maximise accessibility to information on the Corporations products and services for disabled people. This includes improving accessibility to the HNZC website for blind, vision impaired and people with reading disabilities.

Outcome Measures and Timeframes

During 2005/06 HNZC will:

• improve accessibility to information on the HNZC website @ www.hnzc.co.nz and ensure ongoing compliance with the E-Government guidelines. HNZC will be 100% compliant with the guidelines by 2007 (currently the Corporation is 68% compliant).

Linkage to the New Zealand Disability Strategy

Objective	Action
Foster an aware and responsive public service	6.5