By Prudence Walker, Kaihautū Tika Hauātanga Disability Rights Commissioner
Photo: 123rf
Opinion - As the government sets about de-regulating building for so-called granny flats and shoebox apartments, it needs to be able to demonstrate that it is also ensuring that any new homes, even those of minimal size are accessible, warm, dry and healthy.
When homes are built well, they require little heating in the chill of winter, are adaptable to people's changing needs, and help us live healthy lives.
When they are poorly built, they cost hundreds of dollars a month to heat, are expensive to retrofit for accessibility and aging-at-home, and are a cause of poor health. These conditions in turn lead to missed days at work or school and other negative outcomes.
In short, poorly built homes can be unhealthy poverty traps, a reality that people around Aotearoa are enduring this winter.
Whatever solutions a government offers to address the ongoing housing crisis must work to create an environment where people in Aotearoa New Zealand can realise their right to a decent home. The government has said it "want(s) to make it easier to build small, self-contained and detached houses, commonly known as 'granny flats'. It has also removed the minimum size standards for apartments.
The recent housing inquiry by Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission outlined the seven dimensions of the right to a decent home, as they apply here in Aotearoa, including in the context of te Tiriti o Waitangi.
These principles are that homes should be habitable; affordable; accessible; connected with services and infrastructure; located to enable access to schools, healthcare and employment; adaptable for diverse cultural needs (such as intergenerational living); and they should be places where people can enjoy security of tenure.
If homes and housing initiatives do not comply with these seven principles, they are not complying with the right to a decent home and won't achieve what most people in New Zealand want - which is for everyone to have a decent home.
The risk is that the "flood" of smaller dwellings that the government wants to see becomes a flood of homes that will lock people into future costs and poor health - think leaky buildings, for example.
To date, there has been silence on accessibility of these homes. Nowhere in the government's discussion document for 'granny flats' is accessibility mentioned, which is somewhat ironic given their name. It is also a major flaw - not just because it does not cater for the ageing population (including grannies) but because it does not cater for disabled people. If the government is going to enable lots of smaller new homes to be built, the opportunity is to ensure that they are built to be accessible from the outset.
Applying universal design principles means buildings will be usable by a wide range of people, regardless of age, life stage or disability status.
The demand for accessible public housing continues to grow. A tenant survey conducted by IHC New Zealand (the largest public housing provider outside of Kāinga Ora) indicated more than half of households include someone living with a disability.
Anecdotal evidence suggests many of those in emergency housing have either an impairment (often referred to as disability) and/or mental health challenges. Providers tell us that it is very difficult to find housing that meets the needs of individuals with a range of needs.
The government should be incentivising people to build good homes that are accessible to our diverse population.
Among the most affected by this housing crisis are tangata whenua, many of whom are excluded from secure housing. Our housing system needs to address the enduring impacts of colonisation and the systematic dispossession of Māori from their land.
Implementing the right to a decent home in a way that gives effect to Te Tiriti will require ongoing partnership with tangata whenua to gain a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives and ensure collective decision making. In recent years we have seen progress in this area, through MAIHI Ka Ora - the national Māori housing strategy, as well as through the leadership of the independent peak body for the Māori housing sector, Te Matapihi. The government must continue to support this progress.
The homes we build now are a legacy we hand to future generations. They will shape the lives of people for decades to come. Decent housing improves health, education and work. It provides a sense of safety and belonging. Housing is a human right, which the government of the day is accountable for progressing.
