The study by the Economic and Social Research Aotearoa thinktank says the plan favours developers rather than the city’s housing requirements
The Economic and Social Research Aotearoa thinktank (ESRA) says that the Auckland Unitary Plan will drive land speculation by developers who sit on land while values increase.
Under the now-expired Housing Accord, 186 Special Housing Areas were created requiring developers to allocate 10% of new homes for social housing in return for fast-tracked approvals.
While many social and affordable homes were built, there is speculation among housing groups and some councilors that many that were planned were not completed.
ESRA researcher and author of the new report Vanessa Cole, says that the new plan has no such requirement and will not tackle affordability issues.
“Instead of building affordable housing, the Unitary Plan encourages developers to profit from displacing the poor and increasing gentrification in low-income communities,” she said.
She is calling on the state to build public housing for low income communities. The report shows that the housing crisis is not about generational divide but an issue of economic class rooted in the history of capitalist colonisation in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
“The Unitary Plan protects wealthy residential areas, and is freeing up land supply in low-income communities for development. Developers do not want to build affordable housing in these communities, they want to produce profit. This is why they buy up cheap land, develop it into private market housing, and then sell it to benefit from increased land values,” said Cole.
She is calling for Auckland’s planning to be based on equality and social need rather than profit.
Under the now-expired Housing Accord, 186 Special Housing Areas were created requiring developers to allocate 10% of new homes for social housing in return for fast-tracked approvals.
While many social and affordable homes were built, there is speculation among housing groups and some councilors that many that were planned were not completed.
ESRA researcher and author of the new report Vanessa Cole, says that the new plan has no such requirement and will not tackle affordability issues.
“Instead of building affordable housing, the Unitary Plan encourages developers to profit from displacing the poor and increasing gentrification in low-income communities,” she said.
She is calling on the state to build public housing for low income communities. The report shows that the housing crisis is not about generational divide but an issue of economic class rooted in the history of capitalist colonisation in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
“The Unitary Plan protects wealthy residential areas, and is freeing up land supply in low-income communities for development. Developers do not want to build affordable housing in these communities, they want to produce profit. This is why they buy up cheap land, develop it into private market housing, and then sell it to benefit from increased land values,” said Cole.
She is calling for Auckland’s planning to be based on equality and social need rather than profit.
