December 22nd.

News just in from Ireland,a country very similar to our own with a serious housing crisis.

Dublin City Council is paying hotels hostels and other emergency accommodation providers,around $2 million per week to shelter the increasing numbers of homeless tenants in the city.

The government has imposed a 4% rent cap on all rental accommodation in Dublin and Cork City to try get a grip on the increasing  problems associated with high rents.Rents have increased year by year and the outcome has seen homeless people living on the street and in cars and parks.

It should be noted that around 60%of the population of the Republic of Ireland live in Dublin,in New Zealand it is predicted that 60% of our population will live in the Auckland region,within the next decade

So central government should acknowledge that research,we have to build more state housing it is a simple fact of life,or homelessness will be the new normal for many tenants in New Zealand.Rural New Zealand is predicted to decline over this period,so there has to be a change in government thinking to try and avoid this from happening and invest in the regions.

Here in Palmerston North the City council is reviewing its housing policies with a view to increasing its rental portfolio, which is good news they are looking at building 30 units,when they can afford too.

The Manawatu Tenants Union,still gets inquiries about the upgrade of Papaioea Place which has fallen of the agenda after promising a rebuild of the units.Tenants have lost faith in the council.

December 19th.

                          I was gobsmacked to read the comments of ex-minister Michael Bassett in the Listner,who stated that the gaps between the have's and the have not's in New Zealand is "bunkum".This is right up there with climate denier's.The number of respected agencies from around the world have written report's on the increasing housing crisis affecting families,the main cause of poverty and inequality in New Zealand.

                      On housing matters many politicians in both local and central government,understand very little and retain almost nothing on the impact that their policies  have on the homeless and low income tenants.

                        The affordable housing crisis will define the 2017 election as state housing and affordable housing vanish before our eye's.New Zealanders need to make sure you vote and do what they can to change the housing policies that have created the broken society that is New Zealand today.

December 9th.

                         Interesting that the Prime Minister John Key suddenly resigns,Why.This from a Prime Minister who just a few weeks ago was talking about his fourth term and about to change his cabinet members.

                       The housing crisis is looming over his government and with the rise of the working class in the USA and in England unhappy with their lives the same will happen here.People have had enough of politicians who no longer represent their interests.They feel that the benefits that were promised by the free market and government have passed them by.They feel excluded and that it is the wealthy who have gained  while they see poverty and inequality increase on a massive scale.

                       Despite this the Key National led  government is pushing ahead with yet another sale of 2500 state homes in Christchurch,to private landlords.This at a time when more affordable state homes are needed,it defies common sense that they are pushing ahead with this failed policy of state house sales. The National led government members are really out of touch with the general public of New Zealand.The housing crisis was created by this government through its ideologically  driven policies,all they have delivered is poverty and inequality on a massive scale.

                        The housing crisis will only end when there is a change of government as the present government don't think there is a problem.For this to happen,make sure you are on the electoral roll and voice your disapproval of the failed housing policies of the Key  government.