Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Local leaders in Hawkes Bay say solutions to the region's acute housing problems can be found but they must be region specific and they need help from central government. Some 440 children and their families will spend the winter in a motel this year. Hawkes Bay is one of the country's least affordable places to live, but in the last 12 months has had the highest percentage increase in whanau who've registered for public housing. As at the last quarter of 2018 Napier and Hastings had a combined 615 people on the Housing NZ waiting list, and a shortage of 1800 homes.
To discuss the problem Kathryn Ryan talks to Hastings District Council 's chief executive Nigel Bickle, CEO for Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga George Reedy and local councillor Maxine Boag.
