Housing

Minister for RMA reform Chris Bishop.

Chris Bishop is the minister for abundance

After two years of major housing, infrastructure and planning reforms, Chris Bishop may have done more for the abundance agenda than any other politician on the planet.

By Joel MacManus | 10th December, 2025

Could rail (light or heavy) break through the lines of traffic in Ōtautahi? (Image: Shanti Mathias/The Spinoff)

Christchurch is growing. How can it avoid the traffic trap?

Rail could save Canterbury from carmageddon – before it's too late.

By Shanti Mathias | 1st December, 2025

Contributing writer

Will the government force homeless people from the city centre to the suburbs? (Photo: David Jensen)

The government’s homelessness ‘ban’ may not be as ridiculous as it sounds

The only cure for homelessness is homes, but responsible policing plays an important role in manage the symptoms.

By Joel MacManus | 12th November, 2025

The Pacifica apartments in Auckland are an example of houses that people live in.

What new population data reveals about why some cities are growing and others aren’t

Detailed data analysis by The Spinoff reveals an incredible true fact: people live in houses.

By Joel MacManus | 5th November, 2025

Inside the Canadian apartments redefining indigenous housing

Inside the Canadian apartments redefining indigenous housing

Joel MacManus visits Vancouver, where a First Nation is building a massive complex of apartment towers on its reserve land, with no city council approval required. Could this be the future of iwi-led housing in Aotearoa?

By Joel MacManus | 3rd November, 2025

Wellington is among the most seismically active areas of New Zealand. (Photo: Mark Tantrum/Getty Images)

The big shake-up: Why earthquake reforms are critical for Wellington’s future

The government's new earthquake-prone building rules aren't without risks, but they might finally give Wellington the confidence to grow.

By Joel MacManus | 1st October, 2025

A view of Queenstown from the pine forest around the gondala (Image: Shanti Mathias)

Is there any way to satisfy the ever-growing demand for Queenstown housing?

In a town of empty houses, affordable housing is out of reach for many.

By Shanti Mathias | 30th September, 2025

Contributing writer

‘I was sleeping on the floor’: Kāinga Ora taken to tribunal over tiny-bedroom dispute

‘I was sleeping on the floor’: Kāinga Ora taken to tribunal over tiny-bedroom dispute

When is a bedroom not a bedroom?

By Alex Casey | 29th September, 2025

Phil Mauger and Sara Templeton, incumbent and challenger (Image: The Spinoff/supplied)

The two-horse race to keep Christchurch booming

Will residents choose a known quantity or a new direction?

By Shanti Mathias | 25th September, 2025

Contributing writer

The frustrating, head-scratching debate around housing infrastructure

The frustrating, head-scratching debate around housing infrastructure

They say Parnell doesn’t have the infrastructure to support apartments, and we should build on farmland instead. Really though?

By Hayden Donnell | 12th September, 2025

Image: The Spinoff

New Zealand’s foreign buyer ban has been binned (kind of)

Overseas investors will soon be able to nab their very own slice of Aotearoa paradise – as long as that slice is suitably pricey.

By Alice Neville | 2nd September, 2025

Beat the Bish, a flash game by Live Wellington

Windbag: Beating the Bish and the strange, shifting politics of housing

A deep dive into the unintentional political commentary of a weird internet game made by an anti-density activist group.

By Joel MacManus | 26th August, 2025

Councillors Christine Fletcher and Mike Lee at Thursday’s council meeting

Fear and zoning at Auckland Council

It looks like we might finally be letting people build houses in Kingsland, Mt Eden and Mt Albert, and some of our councillors are absolutely ropeable.

By Hayden Donnell | 22nd August, 2025

Wellington mayoral candidate Andrew Little announced his housing policy on Wednesday last week (Image: Joel MacManus)

Windbag: Andrew Little looks to Auckland to fix Wellington

Wellington's rate of housing construction has plummeted. Mayoral candidate Andrew Little thinks he has the solution – and he's borrowed some ideas from our biggest city.

By Joel MacManus | 19th August, 2025

Several homelessness charities have reported an increase in rough sleeping over the past year. Image: David Jensen/Tina Tiller

Why homelessness is worse under this government: a story in 10 graphs

There are more public houses, shorter housing waitlists and fewer people in emergency housing – so why are more people sleeping rough?

By Joel MacManus | 14th August, 2025

Photos: Getty Images/RNZ; design The Spinoff

(Almost) everything our governments have inherited since 2005

From backlogs and blowouts to turmoil, mess and crises galore.

By Lyric Waiwiri-Smith | 24th July, 2025

Politics reporter

Julie Gunn at Sustainability Trust’s curtain bank in Wellington. (Photo: Emlou Lattimore).

Curtain banks are in hot demand

Curtains are the most used intervention by the Healthy Homes Initiative. Here’s how they get to families.

By Gabi Lardies | 21st July, 2025

Contributing writer

All rentals now have to comply fully with the healthy homes standards. What are they?

All rentals now have to comply fully with the healthy homes standards. What are they?

A reminder on the minimum requirements for heating, insulation, ventilation and more – and what to do if your home doesn't comply.

By Gabi Lardies | 30th June, 2025

Contributing writer

Housing minister Chris Bishop celebrated plans to demolish the Gordon Wilson flats with this photoshopped image.

Windbag: The Gordon Wilson flats saga reaches the funniest possible conclusion

Chris Bishop's plan to pass a new law specifically to demolish one ugly building is a hilariously petty solution to a ridiculous problem.

By Joel MacManus | 24th June, 2025

LGBTQI+ people face discrimination trying to find housing and once they are flatting.

New research finds over half of LGBTQI+ flatters experience housing discrimination

Flatting is a 'site of vulnerability' for queer people and policy change is needed.

By Gabi Lardies | 19th June, 2025

Contributing writer