Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

On 8 June 2018, Housing Minister Phil Twyford announced the creation of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to coordinate the New Zealand Government's efforts to combat the country's housing shortage and to facilitate the provision of affordable social housing. The new ministry was established on 1 August and commenced operating on 1 October 2018.[4] While Twyford argued that the new ministry would "restore the basic right to healthy, affordable housing for all New Zealanders", the opposition National Party Housing Spokesperson Judith Collins and housing lobby group the Property Institute's Chief Executive Ashley Church questioned its effectiveness.[5]

In mid-January, the Head of KiwiBuild Stephen Barclay resigned following a disagreement with Twyford over transferring oversight of the building programme from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to Housing and Urban and Development.[6][7] Later reports indicated that staff, advisers, and contractors were dissatisfied with Barclay's management style and leadership. In response, Barclay announced that he was filing a "constructive dismissal case" against the Ministry alleging they had breached his privacy. This development accompanied the Housing Minister's acknowledgement that the Government was unable to deliver on its target of building 1,000 homes by 1 July 2019.[8][9]

Following a cabinet reshuffle in late June 2019, the Housing and Urban Development ministry was split into two separate portfolios. Megan Woods became Minister of Housing while Twyford was demoted to Minister of Urban Development. This new division of labour came in response to the failure of the Labour-led coalition government's flagship KiwiBuild scheme. Kris Faafoi was appointed as Associate Minister of Housing with responsibility for urban housing while Nanaia Mahuta was appointed Associate Minister of Housing with responsibility for Māori housing.[10][11]

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is responsible for advising and delivering the Government's housing and urban development programme. Key priorities include addressing homelessness, increasing public and private housing supply, promoting healthier and warmer homes, making housing more affordable to rent and to buy, and supporting quality urban development and thriving communities.[12]

HUD consolidates a range of housing policy, funding, and regulatory functions from the following government departments:

• The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment: housing and urban policy, KiwiBuild, the Community Housing Regulatory Authority and administration of funding for HomeStart, Welcome Home Loans, the legacy Social Housing Fund, and Community Group Housing.
• The Ministry of Social Development: public housing purchasing, homelessness policy and response, and emergency, transitional

and public housing policy.

• The Treasury: monitoring of Housing New Zealand and the Tamaki Redevelopment Company.[3]

The HUD is in charge of the Government's KiwiBuild scheme project. It also works closely with MBIE, MSD, the Treasury, Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry of Māori Development), Housing New Zealand, and Corrections New Zealand.[5][3]

HUD comes under the oversight of Housing Minister, Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) Poto Williams, Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare, and Associate Minister of Housing (Homelessness) Marama Davidson.[1] The HUD's leadership team consists of Chief Executive Andrew Crisp, DCE Policy Jo Hughes, DCE Public Housing Supply Scott Gallacher, Head of People and Culture Catherine Taylor, Chief Financial Office Jo Hogg, Head of the Office of Chief Executive Brad Ward, and DCE Strategy Development Nick Maling.[13]

The HUD is also assisted by a Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) that serves an advisory role. As of 2019, the Advisory Group consists of:

• Teena Hale Pennington, (MAG Chair), Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Institute of Architects and Deputy Chair of the New Zealand Construction Industry Council
• Shamubeel Eaqub, Economist, commentator and academic
• Rau Hoskins, Housing researcher specializing in Māori housing, architecture and design
• David Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of Registered Master Builders
• Andrew King, Executive Officer of the New Zealand Property Investors' Federation
• Roine Lealaiauloto, Chief Executive of Penina Health Trust, focusing on Pacific Islanders
• Angela Maynard, Coordinator of the Tenants Protection Association in Auckland
• Mark Todd, Property developer and co-founder and Managing Director of Ockham Residential and the Ockham Foundation
• Scott Figenshow, Chief Executive of Community Housing Aotearoa
• Kay Saville Smith, Director of the Centre for Research, Evaluations and Social Assessment (CRESA)[14]

• Ministry of Housing and Urban Development