Originally Posted by
elZorro
FP, the housing scheme would surely boost the economy, and maybe that would help some into higher priced homes. But surely, the problem is that in Auckland anyway, there are no lower priced homes. The barrier is set too high. This scheme would aim to provide an affordable range of housing that might suit families on a single modest income. It might not be an immediately profitable operation for the state, but it doesn't need to make a short-term profit. It won't need taxpayer subsidies, because it removes other costs the state would otherwise fund.
It's clear that the scheme is addressing the fact that NZ has had many recent years when our home construction teams built 25,000 to over 30,000 dwellings a year. Now they're building an average 15,000 a year, with many of those former team members probably on the dole or overseas. Why shouldn't Labour suggest the planning and building industry (and the country) needs a project like this, and that the industry needs a bit of a tune-up in how to produce cost-effective housing? I agree it's more about how to get the land at the right price. It needs a bit of lateral thinking.