Denise Cosgrove, CEO of The Selwyn Foundation and Chair of the Aotearoa New Zealand National Forum for the Decade of Healthy Ageing/He Oranga Kaumātua, He Oranga Tangata
Imagine reaching your later years and being forced to choose between heating your home and buying food. Or recovering from surgery in a damp, unsafe house that puts your health further at risk. For thousands of older New Zealanders, this isn’t hypothetical – it’s their reality.
Safe, warm, affordable homes aren’t just a personal need – they’re the foundations of healthy, thriving communities. Yet too many older people are living in homes that are cold, unsuitable or unaffordable, with serious consequences for wellbeing, whānau and the wider community.
The numbers paint a stark picture:
- 40% of people over 65 live solely on superannuation.
- 1 in 5 are still paying off a mortgage.
- By 2048, the number of older renters will double.
- Only 5% of rental homes are physically accessible for older people.
- For Māori kaumātua and Pacific elders, the risks are higher: 18% of Māori over 65 face financial vulnerability, compared with 5.4% of Europeans.
These aren’t statistics. They’re our parents, grandparents, neighbours, kaumātua and community leaders. They are people who’ve worked, raised families, contributed to the growth of this country – and they deserve homes that keep them safe, healthy and connected.
Housing is critical infrastructure
When we think of city infrastructure, we think of pipes, roads, buses and water. But housing is infrastructure, too, every bit as essential to a functioning, liveable city.
Cold, damp homes drive respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease and preventable hospitalisations, increasing pressure on already stretched health services and council budgets. In contrast, safe, warm, age-friendly homes keep people healthier for longer, delay the need for costly aged care, and strengthen social and cultural participation.
When older people age well, we all benefit. They volunteer, care for mokopuna, anchor community groups, and pass on knowledge and culture. Housing isn’t just about shelter – it’s about connection, dignity and belonging.
While central government holds the biggest levers, local councils have a critical role to play – in our three largest cities, they still provide or enable seniors’ housing. Auckland’s Haumaru Housing (a joint venture between Auckland Council and The Selwyn Foundation) operates 1,527 homes across 63 villages. Wellington’s Te Toi Mahana manages nearly 1,900 homes. Christchurch’s Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust has expanded to 2,450 units since 2017. These partnerships show what’s possible – but the scale of need demands much more.
That’s why the National Forum for the Decade of Healthy Ageing/He Oranga Kaumātua, He Oranga Tangata has launched a set of Local Government Housing Pledges, calling on candidates in this year’s local elections to commit to:
- Protecting and expanding seniors’ housing, committing to no net loss of units;
- Unlocking council land for age-friendly housing close to transport and services, enabling hyperlocal communities;
- Embedding universal design into all new builds;
- Partnering with iwi and community housing providers to deliver kaumātua housing;
- Advocating to central government to lift income-related rent subsidy caps.
Housing is not just a social service. It is infrastructure as essential to a functioning, liveable city as transport and water. As voters, we should ask every candidate one question: will you pledge to ensure our older members of society can age well in safe, secure homes? Just as we wouldn’t accept crumbling roads or unsafe water, we shouldn’t accept housing that leaves older people isolated, unwell or insecure.
Local councils play a key role in enabling housing for older generations. The National Forum invites councils and partners across Aotearoa to work with us in optimising policies and aligning resources to build vibrant, inclusive communities where all New Zealanders can age well, now and into the future.
Cities that work for older people, work for everyone. In these local elections, let’s commit to making housing for older New Zealanders a priority. When we build housing that works for our ageing population, we build communities that are stronger, healthier and more connected for everyone.
This article was originally published in the Sunday Star Times on 5 October 2025.
