Abstract
The Human Rights Foundation has released a review of progress towards the right to a decent home between 2023 and 2026. The review has found that government policy has not taken cognisance of human rights obligations or Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitments, and has gone backwards across each of the seven principles that underpin the right to a decent home. These include habitability, affordability, tenure security, accessibility, cultural adequacy, location and access to core services. Housing is a key determinant of health, and policies that undermine access to warm, dry, affordable and secure homes can have significant consequences for population health. Housing insecurity, unaffordability and poor-quality homes are associated with poorer physical and mental health and can widen existing health inequities. The impacts are particularly significant for children, older people, disabled people and other disadvantaged groups.