A state roof over my head : policies, perspectives and experiences of state housing in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University

Abstract

Through the experiences of those who lived in state housing, this work examines how changing housing policies determined what state housing tenants’ experiences would be. Historical accounts of state housing are often centred around the egalitarian intentions of the First Labour Government’s ‘welfare state’, and then the subsequent attempts to reduce the state’s role in the provision of housing. This research builds upon existing literature mapping major developments in state housing policy over the twentieth century, from the creation of a state rental sector in the 1930s that was widely approved of, through to the upheaval of the welfare state in the 1990s. Taking Ben Schrader’s lead, this research is based on an oral history from state tenants, adding an insider perspective from New Zealanders who lived in state housing. Incorporating personal accounts of life in state housing, this thesis revealed how perceptions of community and what home means to different people has been inextricably linked with the housing decisions made by government. Despite changing government policies and the various pressures that resulted, irrespective of the period, state housing allowed its tenants to see themselves as part of a community.