Dr Sarah Bierre is a Senior Research Fellow with the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago and part of He Kāinga Oranga – The Housing and Health Research Programme. She has a BA(Hons) in politics and geography from Victoria University and a PhD in Public Health from the University of Otago.
In her research she uses qualitative and critical methodologies to look at how housing policy, politics and law create and alleviate inequalities in access to affordable, secure, and decent housing, with a focus on the rental sector.
Her most recent work looks at the politics and narratives of rental housing standards, the consequences and experiences of eviction, and the function of the Tenancy Tribunal. Sarah is available to supervise Masters and PhD students in similar areas of research.
Publications
Bierre, S., Keall, M., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2023). Framing home injury: Opportunities and barriers to regulating for safer rental housing in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Housing Studies. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/02673037.2023.2224242
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., Crane, J., Keall, M., Pierse, N., Baker, M. G., Cunningham, C., … Aspinall, C., Bennett, J., Bierre, S., … Chisholm, E., Davies, C., Fougere, G., Fraser, B., Fyfe, C., … Halley, C., … Olin, C., Ombler, J., O'Sullivan, K., Pehi, T., Penny, G., … Randal, E., Riggs, L., Robson, B., Ruru, J., Shaw, C., … Teariki, M. A., Telfar Barnard, L., Tiatia, R., … Viggers, H., … Zhang, W. (2023). He Kāinga Oranga: Reflections on 25 years of measuring the improved health, wellbeing and sustainability of healthier housing. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. [Review].
Journal - Research Other
Bierre, S., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2022). The theory and practice of a politics of compassion in the private rental sector: A study of Aotearoa, NZ and ‘kindness’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Housing Policy. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/19491247.2022.2133341
Journal - Research Article
Chisholm, E., Bierre, S., Davies, C., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2022). 'That house was a home': Qualitative evidence from New Zealand on the connections between rental housing eviction and poor health outcomes. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33, 861-868. doi: 10.1002/hpja.526
Journal - Research Article
Bierre, S., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2020). Telling stories: The role of narratives in rental housing policy change in New Zealand. Housing Studies, 35(1), 29-49. doi: 10.1080/02673037.2017.1363379
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., Chisholm, E., Telfar Barnard, L., Viggers, H., O'Sullivan, K., Bennett, J., Bierre, S., Preval, N., Randal, E., Tiatia, R., Ombler, J., Amore, K., Rivera-Muñoz, G., … Davies, C., Aspinall, C., Oliver, J., Baker, M., Keall, M., … Crane, J., & Pierse, N. (2017). Housing, energy and health in resilient cities. In P. Howden-Chapman, L. Early & J. Ombler (Eds.), Cities in New Zealand: Preferences, patterns and possibilities. (pp. 95-106). Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts Aotearoa.
Chapter in Book - Research
Pierse, N., Carter, K., Bierre, S., Law, D., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2016). Examining the role of tenure, household crowding and housing affordability on psychological distress, using longitudinal data. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 70(10), 961-966. doi: 10.1136/jech-2015-206716
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., O'Sullivan, K., Bierre, S., Chisholm, E., Hamer-Adams, A., Ombler, J., & Amore, K. (2015). What effect will the 2015 budget have on housing? Policy Quarterly, 11(3), 13-19.
Journal - Research Article
Bierre, S., Bennett, M., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2014). Decent expectations? The use and interpretation of housing standards in tenancy tribunals in New Zealand. New Zealand Universities Law Review, 26(2), 153-185.
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., Bierre, S., & Cunningham, C. (2013). Building inequality. In M. Rashbrooke (Ed.), Inequality: A New Zealand crisis. (pp. 105-117). Wellington, New Zealand: Bridget Williams Books. doi: 10.7810/9781927131510
Chapter in Book - Research
Bierre, S., Howden-Chapman, P., & Early, L. (2013). Conclusion. In S. Bierre, P. Howden-Chapman & L. Early (Eds.), Homes people can afford: How to improve housing in New Zealand. (pp. 127-129). Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts Aotearoa.
Chapter in Book - Research
Bierre, S. (2013). Unaffordable and unhealthy: Rental housing standards and policy drift. In S. Bierre, P. Howden-Chapman & L. Early (Eds.), Homes people can afford: How to improve housing in New Zealand. (pp. 41-47). Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts Aotearoa.
Chapter in Book - Research
Bierre, S., Howden-Chapman, P., & Early, L. (2013). Introduction. In S. Bierre, P. Howden-Chapman & L. Early (Eds.), Homes people can afford: How to improve housing in New Zealand. (pp. 7-12). Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts Aotearoa.
Chapter in Book - Research
Bierre, S., & Howden-Chapman, P. (Eds.). (2013). Homes people can afford: How to improve housing in New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts Aotearoa, 151p.
Edited Book - Research
Howden-Chapman, P., Baker, M. G., & Bierre, S. (2013). The houses children live in: Policies to improve housing quality. Policy Quarterly, 9(2), 35-39.
Journal - Research Article
Cotterill, L., Kjellström, T., Hales, S., & Bierre, S. (2013). Exploring the experiences and responses of heat among workers in the sheep shearing industry [Minipaper]. In J. D. Cotter, S. J. E. Lucas & T. Mündel (Eds.), Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Environmental Ergonomics (ICEE). (pp. 40-41). International Society for Environmental Ergonomics. [Full Paper]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
Bierre, S., Howden-Chapman, P., & Signal, L. (2010). ‘Ma and Pa’ landlords and the ‘risky’ tenant: Discourses in the New Zealand private rental sector. Housing Studies, 25(1), 21-38. doi: 10.1080/02673030903362027
Journal - Research Article
Howden-Chapman, P., & Bierre, S. (2008). Reducing health inequalities by improving housing. In K. Dew & A. Matheson (Eds.), Understanding health inequalities in Aotearoa New Zealand. (pp. 161-172). Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Bierre, S., Howden-Chapman, P., Signal, L., & Cunningham, C. (2007). Institutional challenges in addressing healthy low-cost housing for all: Learning from past policy. Social Policy Journal of New Zealand, 30, 42-64.
Journal - Research Article
Bierre, S., Cunningham, C., Cunningham, M., Baker, M., Robinson, J. A., Kennedy, M., Sansom, A., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2004). A healthy housing index: A collaborative approach to measuring housing condition. Proceedings of the 2nd WHO International Housing and Health Symposium. (pp. 115-122). Bonn, Germany: WHO European Centre for Environment and Health. [Full Paper]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
PhD (Otago), BA(Hons. 1st Class) (Victoria)Senior Research Fellow; HHRP