It was an honor to attend the recent Methodist Alliance Housing Forum alongside representatives from all over Aotearoa. The forum took place from Friday, 8th March to Saturday, 9th March at Vaughan Park in Long Bay, Auckland and was hosted by Methodist Mission Northern (MMN). The aim was to address the pressing issue of the housing crisis in our community.

The forum was structured to achieve several key objectives:

• Understanding the new political landscape related to housing and how to address this
• Developing the Methodist Social Housing action plan
• Learning from experts and each other
• Strengthening our connexional approach

After a warm welcome from Rev Peter Taylor, president of Te Hāhi Weteriana, Jill Hawkey (executive director Christchurch Methodist Mission) gave the group an overview of Methodist engagement in housing (social housing plan). This was followed by David Hanna (director Community Action in Wellington) introducing and facilitating the conversations with our keynote speakers.

We were privileged to hear from esteemed speakers such as Andrew Crisp, CE from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Paul Gilberd, CEO from Community Housing Aotearoa, and Ali Hamlin-Paenga, chairperson from Te Matapihi he tirohanga mō te Iwi Trust. Their insights provided valuable perspectives on government strategies, community housing opportunities, and Māori housing initiatives.

Another highlight of the forum was the engaging session with Sam Stubbs, CEO of Simplicity, who shared his thoughts on addressing the housing crisis, leaving us all inspired and motivated.

Rev Tara Tautari, the general secretary for the Methodist Church of Aotearoa, led a thought-provoking discussion on how our church can respond effectively to the housing crisis as a connexional community.

Throughout the forum, participants engaged in group discussions on topics such as improving services for those in housing need, implementing Housing First initiatives, and increasing the supply of housing. The conversations focused on setting achievable goals, enhancing collaboration, identifying opportunities, and driving necessary changes.

We extend our gratitude to Head of Mission-MMN, Shirley Rivers and her team for their excellent coordination of the forum, which provided a platform for us to connect, learn, and explore new possibilities in addressing the housing challenge.