Public Perspectives on Housing and Affordability in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough

Produced for the Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand, Department of Building and Housing and Housing New Zealand Corporation.

Problems with housing affordability in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough pose a significant restraint on economic development and productivity in those regions. In particular, the interaction of housing and changing labour markets are seen as placing stress on workers, families and employers involved in emerging as well as key export industries, particularly industries that employ lower paid workers.

The need for long-term housing solutions has been identified as critical to stabilising both the seasonal workforce and an increasing number of workers encouraged by Work and Income New Zealand to develop 'portfolios' of seasonal work across the horticultural, grape, fruit and fishing industries in such a way as to provide them with locally based employment throughout the year.

This report presents the findings of a survey of Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough (NTM) residents about their views on housing affordability. It is the second of two papers concerned with establishing the dynamics and perceptions of housing experience in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough.

The first paper is based on a series of in-depth individual and group interviews with those actively involved in the apparent interaction between NTM's labour and housing markets. This, the second paper, is concerned with the extent to which the general public experience difficulties in housing access and affordability and/or consider housing affordability to be an important public issue within their communities.