Kōrero: Housing

The 1950s National government wanted to boost the private building sector. Its group housing scheme encouraged builders to construct new suburban homes, using plans approved by the state, and pledged to buy those houses the builders were unable to sell. The initiative facilitated the creation of large design-and-build companies such as Neil Homes, later the Neil Group. This film shows a group housing scheme on the outskirts of Napier in 1954.