Implementing the policy
We need to undertake work to enable the policy’s outcomes to be achieved. There are a number of different streams of work, which are ultimately interrelated. The main areas of work are identified below. Most of these items of work will be integrated into Housing New Zealand’s existing programmes or projects. Where required, we will commission new activity.
We are committed to continuing our engagement with customers and the disability sector as we implement our policy. We will work with technical experts and people with lived experience of disability as we implement our policy to provide assurance we are doing the right thing.
Accessibility standards reviewed
We regularly review our standards. Following the standards review we will review our standards for accessibility for new builds contained within Housing Standards: Design (M-255) to confirm they are fit for purpose.
Gaps in Housing New Zealand’s standardised designs addressed
Most of our standardised designs achieve our accessible standards. We consider it critical that some housing of all types is available for customers who require accessibility features: we will review our standardised designs that do not meet this requirement. This currently includes designs for two- and three-bedroom homes.
Targets reflected in Housing New Zealand’s asset planning
Our Asset Management Strategy responds to our strategic objectives, settings, and agreed assumptions to guide the organisation’s detailed regional planning. We will reflect our population needs and accessibility targets in our future asset planning. This will translate a national target into plans across locations and typologies, which will be achieved through programmes and projects.
Revision of Housing Investment Framework
The Housing Investment Framework outlines how investment activity balances financial sustainability with maximising social outcomes (benefits). In order to enable Housing New Zealand to incorporate accessible requirements into our new builds to meet the proposed target, the Housing Investment Framework may need to be adjusted to leverage the social outcome achieved through accessibility with sound financial stewardship. This will be a key way of ensuring we can meet our new build targets. Our Strategy and Finance teams will undertake a review of the Housing Investment Framework so that financial metrics do not act as a disincentive for the direction set out in the policy.
Collect and store asset information
We need to be able to collect and store information about the accessibility of our properties, both to ensure appropriate placement of tenants and to be able to monitor against our proposed target. Our Asset Information Management programme will consider how best to implement this within our current systems and update appropriate business processes.
As new properties enter our portfolio and properties undergo upgrades, we will record accessibility features in our electronic systems. We will do an audit of all of our existing properties over time. This means that in the future we will be able to review the accessibility features of our properties and consequently build up a better understanding across our portfolio.
Collect and store customer information
Through our Customer Programme, we will build our knowledge of our current customers. A better understanding of our customers’ accessibility needs will allow us to provide for homes that meet their requirements. This includes the need for homes that meet universal design standards, as well as a better understanding of the need for bespoke designs.
In addition, we will work with other agencies to develop a more comprehensive view of future demand.
Report and monitor against the proposed new build target
By 2020-2021 Housing New Zealand will be able to record the number of new builds that meet our universal design standards to measure progress against the target. We will use our accountability documents as a way to monitor our progress against the target.
While homes delivered in this time have, largely, already been contracted or are under procurement, recording against this metric from 2020-2021 will provide a useful baseline for the target from 2021-2022 onwards.
Set an accessibility target for retrofitting our homes
Using the outcomes and information gathered from our retrofit pilot as a starting point, we will also work on the development of an accessibility target for our retrofitted properties.
Improve effectiveness of modifications funding
Housing New Zealand will continue to work with funders (Ministry of Health and ACC) to ensure maximum effectiveness of the funding for modifications.
We will have an emphasis on sharing information, technology enhancements, education programmes and best practice between organisations to improve our customers’ experiences.
In addition, we also understand that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development will consider whether there are alternative approaches for supporting more accessibility in public housing through its 2019 Funding Review.
Supporting our customers with the right house that suits their needs
Some of our customers live in homes that don’t suit their needs. Sometimes the process to access funding for modifications takes too long for customers, or they are not eligible. We are committed to filling this gap and providing homes that suit our customers’ needs.
Solutions may mean funding modifications for their existing home ourselves, or moving them to a home that is customised to their needs. By 2020-2021 we will have developed operational policy, processes, and communication to support our people to consistently take action to ensure customers have a home that meets their needs.
Understanding cultural considerations and requirements
We will respond to stakeholders’ feedback by continuing to research and establish cultural considerations and requirements as they relate to accessibility. As an organisation we have a number of activities underway to embed a kaupapa Māori approach, and to understand how we incorporate cultural considerations in the design of our homes and in how we interact with tenants. We will update this policy to reflect these requirements.
Ongoing review
Our stakeholders have told us that to be effective, the policy needs to be enduring and long-term, with a focus on making measurable improvements over time.
To that end, the policy has a clear focus on ensuring that we have the tools needed to collect and analyse data required to benchmark and measure change over time.
While this document has identified some quantifiable measures (for example, delivery against new build targets), such measures – along with other aspects of this policy – will need to be reflected in related Housing New Zealand and, when established, Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities documentation.
Further quantitative measures will also need to be identified, such as measuring the scope and scale of the accessibility features of our retrofit programme.
Furthermore, qualitative measures, such as documenting how we will demonstrate our adherence to our accessibility commitments, will be important in providing a more comprehensive overview.
We will look at appropriate ways to engage with our customers and other stakeholders as we implement this policy, including ways for them to hold us to account on these internal targets. We acknowledge the roles of disabled persons organisations under article 4.3 of the UNCRPD in this regard.
We further commit to ensuring that our own internal capabilities and capacities are optimised with respect to lived experience of disability to permit the achievement of these outcomes.
We will also review the policy on a regular basis to ensure that it reflects changes to Housing New Zealand’s internal and external environments, for example, as we roll out our Customer Programme. Our first review will happen during 2020.
Finally, we intend to continue the engagement momentum engendered via the development of the policy, including checking back with our stakeholders.
We will hold another Housing Accessibility Symposium in 2020 as an opportunity to check back with key stakeholders on our progress with implementing the policy, and ensure that the Symposium is one opportunity for them to feed into the first review of the policy.