Charity supports National's election pledge on housing for seniors

Christchurch Methodist Mission has backed a National Party election pledge to reserve more affordable housing for older New Zealanders, while calling for more government investment.

Under the plan, National would reserve at least one in every five homes supported by the government's affordable housing fund for older people. It would also earmark at least 20 percent of Housing Flexible Fund places for seniors. The plan covers social housing and affordable rentals, such as those provided by Abbeyfield, and includes granny flats and tiny homes, according to National's website.

Speaking at the Pacific Lakes Retirement Village on 22 October, National leader Christopher Luxon said people aged 65 or older made up 15 percent of those waiting for social housing.

The mission said the number of over-65s on New Zealand's social housing waitlist rose by 34 percent between 2021 and 2025. It also said nearly 400,000 older people are expected to need an affordable rental property by 2050. The mission's response to the pledge was supportive, but it said more is needed. It called for increased investment in the Housing Flexible Fund.