There is no time to waste, every child deserves the best start in a warm, dry, secure home

Most poor families live in rental accommodation. With the current housing shortage poor families have been pushed to the back of the queue for decent housing and end up with the worst properties. When they can find a place to live, it’s often cold, damp, mouldy and over-crowded. They have few protections as tenants. And the accommodation supplement which helps them pay for rent has not been adjusted for a long time and is not enough in many places.

CPAG is calling on the Government to act urgently to make sure all rental accommodation is healthy and affordable for families.

1. Introduce and enforce a WOF for housing
2. Introduce subsidies to get rentals up to a healthy standard.
3. Urgently review and update Accommodation Supplement.

There is no time to waste. A child can get sick within weeks or even days when they are living in bad housing. Families need homes that are both healthy and affordable to provide a stable environment where children can thrive

Thousands of New Zealand children live in overcrowded, temporary, or run-down housing and the government spends millions subsidising this substandard accommodation through the Accommodation Supplement. This is unacceptable and New Zealanders should expect better value for public expenditure.

Every child deserves the best start in a warm, dry, secure home. Let’s make sure state and private rental accommodation is healthy and affordable for families.

To find out more information on the currently situation visit our website page and read our FAQ

Here’s what you can do now:

1. Email Paula Bennett and Nick Smith and ask them to take urgent action to make sure all rental accommodation is healthy and affordable for families.
2. Join our mailing list to get regular updates on housing and help us with further action.
3. Join our Hikoi for Homes on November 28th.
4. Have Your Say, Advocate!

• Writing a letter to the editor of your community or local newspaper
• Write or meet with your MP to discuss the issue and gain support
• Share our messages with your friends and family on social media
• Get talking, have conversations and discuss this serious issue with your neighbours, workplaces, clubs and other groups.
• Share your real stories with CPAG – has your family has ever experienced living in a cold, damp rental home? How did it affect your children and you? Please share on our admin for CPAG to share anonymously.