Getting the housing system right is more than just building our way out of it. We need human rights and the provisions of te Tiriti o Waitangi at the centre of our housing laws, strategy, policy, and implementation. If we explicitly recognise the right to a decent home as a fundamental and binding human right, it will strengthen and improve housing strategies, policies and other initiatives and it can empower individuals, hapū, iwi and other communities to use the human right to a decent home as a tool for change in our housing system. What follows are our recommendations to Government on how to advance the right to a decent home: Recommendation 1: Commit to legislative recognition of the right to a decent home, shaped by and giving effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi We need legislation that explicitly recognises the human right to a decent home, shaped by and giving effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi, and commits to progress this human right in all housing strategy, policy, plans, and initiatives. Recommendation 2: Integrate the right to a decent home into housing policy-making processes This is such an important part of the solution that Chapter 2 of this report offers detailed guidance for policy makers. Recommendation 3: Appoint one or more human rights, Tiriti, and equity officers within our lead housing and housing policy agencies These people will champion the integration of human rights and te Tiriti o Waitangi considerations and support their colleagues in this endeavour. Recommendation 4: Fulfil the obligations set out in te Tiriti o Waitangi, including the obligation to recognise, respect, and support Māori tino rangatiratanga in respect of Māori housing We recognise the ongoing work of the Waitangi Tribunal’s Wai 2750 Housing Policy and Services Kaupapa Inquiry and acknowledge that the findings and recommendations arising from that inquiry will offer guidance for Government on how to meet its Tiriti obligations. Recommendation 5: Strengthen accountability and participation across the housing system in a manner shaped by and giving effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi We call on government to establish effective constructive accountability mechanisms that have the authority to address systemic housing issues. These mechanisms must complement rather than overlap the work of Tenancy Services, the Tenancy Tribunal, the Waitangi Tribunal, and other forms of oversight in the housing system. They must be independent, impartial, and free from political influence. We commend the Government’s recent work to publish implementation plans for both the Government Policy Statement on Housing and Urban Development and MAIHI Ka Ora, to launch system-level indicators that track progress towards the long-term goals set out by these documents and implementation plans, and to put in place system-level, place-based, and bespoke governance. These are all important additions to our housing system, and the MAIHI Ka Ora Whare Wānanga is particularly crucial in giving effect to Tiriti partnership. However, constructive accountability requires independent review and remedial action alongside monitoring progress. 4. Our recommendations as foundations for change in our housing system 35