Housing Minister Chris Bishop wants community housing providers to have ‘competitive neutrality’ with Kāinga Ora, describes the Reserve Bank’s capital requirements for social housing as ‘overcooked’

“I am agnostic as to whether those houses are delivered by CHPs or the Government. The simple truth is this, we will not solve our housing crisis by the Government alone.”

Reading between the lines, "I don't know what to do and there is no plan."

Which is why Aotearoa will never achieve what S'pore or Japan did 60+ years ago.  

I'm agnostic, but not in favour of sole Government delivery - sooo, not really agnostic then. 

Also, didn't like Govt purchasing privately built units. So, again not agnostic.

Does he know know the meaning of the word? He does seem to have some fixed views on things 

"Agnostic" is such a cop out. One option is better than the other. No social housing provider is a charity in that they can afford to loose large sums of money each year subsidising social housing places. So either way the GOVT is paying to cover the cost. Either through HUD funding of social providers or funds to KO.

As a Taxpayer I would far prefer that after all the money has been hosed, we still have an asset at the end of it. Social housing providers is just a black hole of weekly payments for eternity. 

I think don't care who builds them as long as it's not kaianga Ora is more accurate.

Agnostic - without gnosticism or knowledge... 

Indeed sir. Indeed

Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said Bishop was “all talk when it comes to housing”.

"We (Labour) are going to build 100,000 affordable homes"…...

KO

1. They need to be far less pedantic about their specs. Some are mind boggling when trying to supply warm, dry homes efficiently and cost effectively.

2. They need to be consistent in their demand and even have an over supply at some points would be ideal. The private sector and back scratching takes president over effiency when it goes from feast to famine every 30 sec. 

3. The KO and private landlords structure needs to change because at the moment if you become a social housing tenant you are stuck there for life. No private landlord can get a reference from a social housing provider so no property manager can take a tenant or even a chance on one.. if they do the are stuck with them.

4. KO needs to find a way to place consequences in their tenancies. Every other facet of life has consequences but KO you can trash, not pay rent, smoke meth, run as gang pads and "oh the children we couldn't possibly hold the parents to account". Sod nieghbours, expecting better from the parents, some social responsibility for the tax payer supplied housing. 

No one in the private sector with any common sense would be building houses to rent out as social housing.

Just not worth the effort for the amount out laid with borrowed money compared to rental return less costs, snd the type of tenant that it often brings!

Why do you think KO are not going to be building like they were, just a very costly exercise.

That is why the private landlords in NZ should be far more respected and looked after better for the service that they are providing in NZ.

I can assure you that it is not as easy as many think it is and Landlords generally deserve the capital gains that they receive or why would they be bothering?

"It doesn't matter whether a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice it is a good cat."

The simple truth is this, we will not solve our housing crisis by the Government alone

...unless said Government stops pumping population via immigration. 

There is significant interest from private developers and investors 

Great that they'll be doing it from the goodness of their hearts and the public won't end up paying for their service.

on their issues with the Reserve Bank’s risk weight rules for social housing

So we could change them to favour owner occupiers over investors too if we wanted to eh Chris.  Anything to help grow debt, come on charities, do your bit and leverage up!

It's always amazing that these great initiatives are ONLY available to a selected few.

Why not make them available to anyone who wants to build new social housing?

He should care as many of the providers are inefficient leading to a poor outcome for the taxpayers.

We have a problem with social housing as the rent does not cover costs.  The 25 percent of income must increase.  KO has gone for high cost housing that are costing 1m per build with q 1 percent return and a 6 percent finance cost.  Every house build costs 1000 a week in finance for ever.

There is a reason for the corporate finance is that with social housing the government pays the 75 percent above the income. Someone on 1000  an be in a 800  a week home paying 250 a week with 550 week govt top up.

Social housing get govt subsidy and market rent guaranteed by govt 

Having witnessed first hand the absolutely stupid prices KO were paying for houses on the market, the private sector couldnt possibly do any worse, and the competition between them should help keep prices down.  KO was out of control, and its highly likely that it will be near impossible to get rid of the thousands of idiots within the organisation that enabled that ridiculous overspend they have been on for the last 6 years.

If you want something done, do your best to make it easier for people to do.

That one seems to elude a lot of government policy makers.