6. Question No. 6—Housing and Urban DevelopmentHon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister of Housing and Urban DevelopmentQuestion No. 6—Housing and Urban Development6. Hon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development: How many times under the KiwiBuild programme has he approved a Crown underwrite to build houses that were already being built and what is the total price of these underwrites?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development): The test applied to determine whether a KiwiBuild underwrite should proceed is additionality—does the proposal increase affordable supply for KiwiBuild buyers in the KiwiBuild price range? I'm advised that the threshold can be met in four key ways: by getting a development under way; by bringing forward a development or the stage of a development that is scheduled for a later time period; or by redesigning part of a development to provide for additional affordable homes rather than a smaller number of more expensive homes. All underwrites approved by the Ministers meet this test. An underwrite has been approved while construction was under way four times. The expected net cost to the Crown of these underwrites is zero. The homes are valued at $26 million or 4 percent of the total number of underwrites and almost 0.5 percent of total KiwiBuild homes.Hon Judith Collins: Why did he approve a Crown underwrite to build houses in Marshland Christchurch in November 2018 when council records show these houses were already under construction in April 2018 seven months before he signed the Crown underwrite?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well I'd have to go back and look at the details of that particular case but as I've said the test that's applied is that of additionality and there are a number of ways that that can be provided—Hon Simon Bridges: Spell it.Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well I'll give the member the case of Mike Greer who's committed to 104 homes in both Canterbury and west Auckland and as he himself has said in the media the KiwiBuild underwrite has allowed him to bring forward that development more quickly than it otherwise would've happened and include more affordable homes in the development.Hon Judith Collins: Why did he approve a Crown underwrite last November to build houses in Somerfield Christchurch when council records show the houses were built and clad last September?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: The answer to that question is exactly the same as the one I just gave. As Mike Greer has said it has allowed that development to come to fruition more quickly than it otherwise would've and for more affordable homes to be included.Hon Judith Collins: Why has he underwritten already built three-bedroom one-bathroom houses in Westpark Rangiora selling for $480000 while Mike Greer Homes are advertising neighbouring three-bedroom houses with an extra bathroom and a larger floor plate on their own website for $20000 less?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: That development is bringing into the market more affordable homes than it otherwise would've. This Government is in the business of building affordable homes unlike what that Government did for nine years—didn't build a single affordable home and denied there was a housing crisis.Hon Judith Collins: How many of the Mike Greer homes he has underwritten so far have monolithic cladding?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: If the member wants to put that question down in writing I'd be happy to answer it.Hon Judith Collins: I seek leave to table a council inspection report on failed monolithic cladding at 5 Te Rito Street Christchurch.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that being tabled? There appears to be none.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon Judith Collins: What is the purpose of him underwriting the price that a developer gets for a house when that house has already been built and in some cases marketed unsuccessfully to the public?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well if the member has got evidence that properties have been unsuccessfully marketed I'd be happy to receive it. But we've made it very very clear that in the case of the 104 homes that Mike Greer Homes is contributing they were brought to market more quickly he reduced his margins and there are more affordable homes available through Mike Greer than there otherwise would've been because of the KiwiBuild underwrite.