Our Vision

Our vision

We want a city built for people. A city all of us can share – where there are enough homes for everyone, it’s easy to get around, and we have choices about the types of homes we want to live in, and which of our local communities we want to put down roots in. 

In our city, people should be able to get to school and work safely, regardless of their mode of travel. Homes should be affordable, accessible, healthy, and warm. Everyone should have access to high-quality green spaces, shops and recreation activities near their homes, and reliable low-carbon transport options like trains, buses, cycleways, and footpaths. 

The new District Plan is an opportunity for change. Our city is growing and we want to welcome new neighbours. We need our city councillors to change the rules and make it easier to build more homes in the places people want to live. 

What’s in the way?

Politicians have enabled a housing crisis in Wellington through planning rules that prevent enough homes being built for our growing population. Decades of inaction have meant house prices are out of control, while old rental properties are rotting out from underneath us. Many of us are unable to access the types of homes or the neighbourhoods we want to live in. 

Limited housing options means people living in overcrowded and poor quality housing, in neighbourhoods far from their community or where they have to spend a lot of money to travel to work or socialise. A whole generation of people are being forced out from the central city into new suburbs sprawling north, spending hours every day in traffic jams. 

There is not enough diversity of housing options available in the city either – we need more homes designed for members of the disabled community, to support our elders, for different family sizes or living situations, and for intergenerational living. 

Lots of people like gardening, but that doesn’t mean everyone wants to have a garden – mowing lawns is hard work! But right now we can’t build terraced housing or apartment buildings (not even small ones!) across huge areas of the city because of rules that restrict building heights, or dictate how many houses can be built on one section (even when those sections are in neighbourhoods with lots of nice amenities and accessible, low-carbon transport options). 

The rules laid down by city councils and governments have contributed to a situation where we don’t have enough housing for everyone who wants to live here, and the housing that is available doesn't suit everyone’s needs. This needs to change.

What do the barriers mean for people?

This has led to unaffordable and unhealthy housing, shutting Wellingtonians out of their own communities and pushing them into the outer suburbs. This has hit marginalised communities the hardest, further entrenching inequality. 

The median house price in Wellington City rose to $990,430 in October, and the average rent hit $640 a week in September 2023. When we can’t afford to pay those prices, we’re pushed further away from where we work, study, and socialise. This causes urban sprawl up the coast and into gullies, limiting our transport options, increasing our carbon emissions, and compromising open spaces and the natural environment. 

Wellington is a great place to live, but for many people, the communities they grew up in and call home are increasingly unaffordable, and many rental properties are old, cold, damp, and unhealthy – making people sick and costing hundreds of dollars in power bills. For those in our communities with disabilities, there aren't enough accessible homes with good transport options close by. 

How can we achieve the change?

The new District Plan is an opportunity to put people first and make a plan to share our city. 

We know that the best future for Wellington is one where communities are affordable and improve our quality of life while also protecting the things that make our city great, like the ability to travel easily and enjoy green space. Now is the time for our local councillors to fix the planning rules – we can’t keep kicking this can down the road. 

What's the solution?

The District Plan is an important step to put people first and help ensure Wellington has affordable communities with plenty of high-quality housing for generations to come.

We’re asking Wellington City Councillors to change the rules in five important ways.

With new rules in place that help make communities more affordable by enabling more homes, Wellington can lock-in its place as the best city in Aotearoa. More housing of a greater range can be built, so that future generations can enjoy living in Wellington. Higher quality, medium and high density housing in appropriate places will help reduce travel times and traffic congestion - making our streets safer, increasing accessibility for all, and reducing climate pollution. Well-planned communities with open spaces, parks, and access to the Town Belt will connect people with nature. People will have more choices about where to live and the types of homes that suit them: from standalone houses to apartments and innovative co-housing arrangements. Everyone will share what our city has to offer.

Want to know more? Check out our frequently asked questions.

Want to support our work? 

If you’re in a position to give koha to our campaign, we’d appreciate your donation. We operate on a shoe-string budget and your money could go a long way.

Follow us on Twitter @CityforPeopleNZ or Instagram @cityforpeoplenz

Art by Erin Daily.