Lifetime state housing tenancies to end under National...



The Government is ending life-time tenancy agreements for Housing New Zealand tenants, and from July all new tenants will have reviewable tenancies.
The decision is part of the Government's response to recommendations to address the country's housing shortage about to be released by the Minister of Housing, Phil Heatley.
The Housing Shareholders Advisory Group made 19 recommendations to the Government in August to help cut the 10,000 people on Housing New Zealand's waiting list and address the 70,000 house shortage the country faces.
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Mr Heatley said all new tenancy agreements with Housing New Zealand will be reviewable from July, and the 69,000 existing tenants will have their tenancies assessed, but that work is unlikely to start before the next election.
He assured tenants who have health issues or are older that they had nothing to worry about, but said those who have significantly improved their circumstances will have to make way for the more needy.
Mr Heatley says the Government is looking at providing land, capital or houses to community organisations to boost the participation of third parties in social housing.
He says the Government is also going to stop Housing New Zealand and the Department of Building and Housing duplicating each other's work, and cannot rule out job losses.
Labour's housing spokesperson, Moana Mackey, says forcing tenants from their state homes will not the housing shortage and more must be built.
Ms Mackey says state houses overwhelmingly go to the most needy people, and Housing New Zealand already move on tenants who no longer need their state homes.
KR says:
Because the National government during the 1990's sold 14,000 housing units there is a real need for state houses now - there is a waiting list. Where would existing state tenants go if the present National Government forces them out? The National government needs to expand its housing stock to make up for the shortfall, including those few houses being sold now. The State in NZ could never get out of housing - the private sector could never manage housing for lower income New Zealanders.
The Government needs to make it easier for young families to get their own houses - lower deposits and repayments are necessary. That has prevented earlier generations from buying their own homes.
The next Labour Government will be bound to reverse this policy in its own Housing policies. More houses must be built to house lower income New Zealanders - end of story!
Acknowledgements:© 2010, Radio New Zealand