Hi There.
Now that the year is coming to a close,and Xmas is upon us,we are reminded of the plight of Mary and Joseph who were denied shelter in Bethlehem.Unfortunately housing exclusion is a trend that happens in Palmerston North,now women with children are turned away,because of the number of children,from private landlords and accommodation agencies.
The MTU has spoken with a number of these women and sighted their references and they have the ability to pay their rent on time.They have been good tenants,so it would seem that they are refused housing because they have large families.
Housing New Zealand which once upon a time provided affordable housing to those families in serious need has been downsized to a shadow of its former self.The affordable rental housing market is critical to any community.The present hard line housing policies being practiced by landlords along with the loss of state housing,is punishing the poor and their children.
In 2016 lets hope that rental housing gets the same attention as home ownership gets from central government.
