Like Marlborough, Otago was finding it hard to attract and accommodate skilled workers for major upcoming projects during a growth period due to a housing supply shortage, he said. “If accommodation is an issue, the empty house audit is certainly one of the solutions that has been floated for other regions, to see whether there is a supply of empty buildings that could be better used.” Along with ensuring a healthy workplace culture, employer support could include helping workers find housing, and helping them connect with services such as schools and doctors, the Otago report said. Supplied BCITO insight and innovation manager Mark Williams says Marlborough is an interesting case study because it has a huge labour demand for upcoming projects, and a severe housing shortage, especially for short-term residents.