Christchurch’s Empty Apartments Crisis | Christchurch News

Christchurch’s rebuilt city center is eerily quiet, with hundreds of new apartments sitting empty despite promises of a vibrant, livable community. Councillor Nathaniel Hertz Jardine blames the rise of Airbnb and short-term rentals, which lure investors seeking high profits over permanent residents. While a new stadium promises economic buzz, the city’s silence returns quickly after game days, revealing a fundamental mismatch: a city built for tourists, not families. Jardine calls for a bed register, bed tax, and stronger zoning powers to prioritize residents and revitalize neighborhoods — arguing it’s still possible to create a thriving, human-centered Christchurch if incentives shift now. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ba3edeae61b7cf7b