Everyone has the right to a decent home. 

A decent home is safe, warm, dry, affordable, accessible and culturally adequate. It is supported by necessary infrastructure such as water, and accessible to key services and facilities such as education, health providers, and community. 

Decent housing improves health, education, and work. It provides a sense of safety and belonging. Without a decent home, it is difficult to contribute to society. Because housing is so vital to our mana and wellbeing, it is a human right.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, the right to a decent home must be grounded on Te Tiriti o Waitangi. That means our housing system needs to address the impacts of colonisation, historical dispossession of Māori from their land, and destruction of traditional ways of living, including communal land ownership.

Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission is conducting a housing inquiry because too many people in Aotearoa New Zealand are not having their housing rights and needs met. The housing inquiry seeks to understand people’s experiences of housing and identify solutions for a housing system that will support everyone's right to a decent home.

Since February 2020, we have been engaging with communities and organisations to understand the human rights challenges faced in the housing system. Alongside this engagement, we developed Framework Guidelines on the Right to a Decent Home in Aotearoa and a report on Strengthening Accountability and Participation in the Housing System. Our Measuring Progress initiative uses a selection of indicators to measure progress in relation to the right to a decent home.
Now we want to hear from you. We want to hear about your experiences of housing and your aspirations for a decent home.

Your input will inform the work and findings of the Human Rights Commission’s housing inquiry. Together we can find solutions that help you realise the right to a decent home and join our voices together to improve our housing system in Aotearoa New Zealand.