Hundreds still searching for affordable homes, but more on the way
One of the eight Nelson Tasman Housing Trust homes on Kawai St. The homes were opened in August this year. Photo: Kate Russell.
Hundreds of Nelson and Tasman households are struggling to find affordable homes, according to the latest Nelson Tasman Housing Trust (NTHT) survey.
The survey, which was released at the end of September, canvasses the six month period from January to June 2025.
It identified 759 households in the region in need of affordable housing, on top of the 423 people already on the Government’s Public Housing Register (up from 405 in June).
NTHT carries out the survey every six months to identify people shut out of both the private housing market and social housing support, saying the official register doesn’t show the full extent of demand.
“We believe it’s important to measure this sector of the community as well, to gauge what the real housing need is,” they said.
Backed by Nelson City Council’s community investment fund and the Tindall Foundation, the survey gathers data from affordable housing providers, emergency housing services, and community organisations helping people search for homes.
All campgrounds reported steady demand from people with nowhere else to live. The Tāhunanui Beach Holiday Park in Nelson and Queen St Holiday Park in Richmond are both full, together housing more than 300 long-term or semi permanent residents. While the Brook and Maitai campgrounds have reduced their permanent sites, Maitai plans to allow more permanent residents now that its infrastructure has been upgraded.
Between January and June, NTHT received 93 requests for housing help, including 65 new applications and 180 households on its waitlist. Many enquiries came from people living in cars, sharing overcrowded homes, or older residents stuck in unstable rentals.
The good news is that more homes are on the way.
The trust has been expanding its housing stock, opening eight new homes on Kawai St in August and with 10 more on Dodson Valley Rd to be ready for tenants in early 2026. Another 14 homes are now confirmed for Bateup Rd in Richmond.
The Salvation Army is also set to deliver 81 new social homes in the Nelson City by 2027 across three complexes, and there has been a recent boost in Kainga Ora properties. As reported by Nelson Weekly in September, 49 new Kainga Ora homes were under construction in Nelson, and they also opened 29 new apartments on Waimea Rd in January.
“This is the highest level of new affordable/social housing provision for Nelson Tasman in 25 years and will start to make a meaningful impact for local residents soon,” the trust said.
NTHT says the results from the survey are intended to help local and central government, housing providers and funders better understand the region’s housing needs and plan new investment accordingly.