The demand for affordable housing in Nelson and Richmond continues to grow, our latest housing need survey shows.
The survey for the six months to June 30 shows 696 households need affordable housing, in addition to the 423 households on the Public Housing Register. Nelson Tasman Housing Trust Director Carrie Mozena said the number of households needing affordable housing had grown nearly 70% since 2018, when the trust began collecting data. That rise was alarming, she said.
The survey showed an increase in people wintering over at Tāhunanui Holiday Park and an increase in permanent residents at Queen St Holiday Park in Richmond. Several community organisations commented on the impact of rising living costs, harming people's ability to pay private market rents. However, the survey also showed that the supply of affordable housing was starting to rise, with new developments recently completed by NTHT and other community housing providers, and state housing provider Kāinga Ora. You can read a summary of the survey results here.
Here's a Stuff article on the survey results.