Manawatu Tenants Union
Chickens come home to roost. April 24th 2017
The government is paying the price for its failed housing policies.The down sizing of Housing New Zealand along with the demolition and sell off state housing,has lead to the housing crisis that is the new normal in New Zealand,homelessness.
The present government's belief in market force's has seen homelessness on a scale not seen since the 1930's.But the government still refuses to acknowledge that there is a problem.This despite the fact that they have had to pump million's of taxpayer's dollar's into emergency housing measure's,which include the buying of motels and moving families around the country in search of accommodation.
This is the legacy of the John Key government,it should be noted that the present Prime Minister Bill English along with Paula Bennett were the minister's responsible in pushing forward the policies that have lead to the housing crisis.
A significant state house building programme is needed now,to address the problems being faced by families seeking a place to call home.Homelessness has become the big issue which has to be addressed by an incoming government,it is time for leadership on this issue.Housing is the most basic of human rights,it is the cornerstone of family life and an issue that we can not take for granted any longer. Make sure you vote in the general election coming up and let your voice be heard,it's that serious an issue.
April 12th. 2017
Have you noticed that the Manawatu Standard has ceased to publish its letters to the editor column and this virus has spread to the community papers.
If publishers and editors exert them selves to keep certain topics out of print,it is not because they are frightened of prosecution,but because they are frightened of public opinion.This would seem to be true of rental housing matters,tenants just like housing are used to being ignored by the local media. Why is this? The media just like central government they are no longer the people we go to for inquiry or investigation into the housing crisis.
There is a housing crisis in New Zealand,and as we enter winter,we can see why the government has moved into the property market by its intention to purchase motels for the growing number of homeless,which is a wise and good move.
This is another testament to the failure of governments housing policies,There has to be new thinking on how we are able to house struggling tenants.Try something new like start a state house building programme.
April 10th 2017.
The need for a national strategy and reasserting the role of the state as the final guarantor of social cohesion has arrived.Large sections of the population are left to live on the poverty line and growing number's are facing homelessness,many without any prospect of finding a productive place in our society.
There is a wide- spread loss of faith in the power of government to help change things around.Finding affordable rental housing is not easy,tenants are never secure,subject to the whims of landlords and rising rents, as well as the lack of security of tenure.
Government housing policies has boosted demand but not supply and has lead to the homelessness that has taken root in today's New Zealand.There are not enough state houses,private rental's are to expensive for many tenants who live on fixed incomes.Present housing policies have failed to deliver affordable for the growing number of tenant's.
The time has arrived for a review of these failed policies,so that tenants have a glimpse of a better life for their children and grandchildren.New Zealander's need a central government that guarantees everyone has a state in the country and a place to call home.Make sure you use your vote to help secure a better future for everyone.
April 7th 2017.
Why did the government allow our social housing,to go so badly wrong and what are they doing to fix it?
To date 2500 state houses are empty and more than 500 have been vacant over the last year,there are 5000 families on the HNZ waiting list.Here in Palmerston North the number of homeless families and single people has increased along with the number of homeless people living in motel accommodation around the city.
Housing New Zealand,along with Palmerston North City Council along with other housing providers have closed their doors as they don't have any accommodation to help those seeking rental accommodation.
Until the government makes serious changes to it's flawed housing policies,we will continue to see increasing homelessness people here in the city.Central government would seem to be only concerned about Auckland and has little time for the rest of the country.
Pre-Fab housing is one answer ,while construction starts on building more needed state houses which is urgently required for the future of generations to come who will never be in the position to buy their first home.Th e housing crisis is real and growing,the government has to address this problem.Homelessness is just not acceptable in a 21st country which can do something to house its people,we are a rich country.
We have to cure the sickness of an economy run by the few for the few,that has left the many behind when it comes to finding affordable rental accommodation.One way of getting government to listen to the real issues affecting more and more people is to make sure you use your vote in the General Election later this year,your vote is a powerful weapon use it.
April 3rd. 2017
The Manawatu Tenants Union has been busy in the last number of weeks dealing with the number of homeless families,around the City of Palmerston North.
At the moment we are trying to keep a family in their state home,they were given a review of their circumstances,and were informed that they could and should get a house in the private sector.The family consists of the mother her daughter and son,plus their children[primary school children].I went with the mother to MSD to engage about a review of the review but were told that the purpose of the visit was to try to get onto the HNZ waiting,possibly 2/3 homes required for the family who wish to remain under the same roof.
The main problem is that HNZ along with PNCC have long waiting lists as do Manawatu Community Housing Trust and it must be said the private sector, motel accommodation is also being used to try to cover the shortage of affordable housing. The Manawatu Tenants Union is at a loss to try and understand why should a family be made homeless when there is a serious lack of affordable housing for them to move into.
We have written to the Prime Minister to keep him up with the play on the short comings of this policy which would be seen as reasonable if there were a number of affordable houses around,but the fact is there are none.I have contacted the Manawatu Standard to talk to the tenants on the very real posssibly of being put out onto the street,so far there has been no interest from the paper.
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