HOUSING CRISIS
Solving the housing crisis is critical to removing poverty in New Zealand.The lack of affordable rental housing and its impact on health and inequality is creating a time bomb,as the country faces its biggest housing crisis since the 1990s.
Benefit cuts have had the effect of social cleansing.The accommodation Supplement is capped therefore tenants struggle to meet their rental obligations.The Manawatu Tenants Union is in contact with politicians and landlords and is surprised to find that these groups have little contact or knowledge of the issues facing average tenants.Landlords are not involved in tackling poverty,on the other side of the coin state housing and council officers are keen to assist in reducing poverty.
Present housing policies are not the answer to the crisis.Developing new state housing will go some way to help New Zealanders into rental housing that they can afford.Selling off state houses to private landlords is not the way to go,it is the main factor that created the housing crisis that the country faces today.It is an idea that failed and only made the poor,poorer.We need leadership not a return to a bleak past.
